


Seeing Red

by bittersweetblonde



Category: One Tree Hill
Genre: Angst, Chaptered, Comfort, Drama, F/M, Friendship, Gen, Hurt, Pain, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-28
Updated: 2019-09-20
Packaged: 2020-03-26 08:05:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 34,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19001734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bittersweetblonde/pseuds/bittersweetblonde
Summary: A fight, a kiss and a misunderstanding leads Peyton to do something she hasn't done in years, but will she be as lucky this time?





	1. Chapter 1

Nights out usually mean fun, a time to let your hair down, have a few drinks, dance, party, be carefree, enjoy yourself, forget about life and escape the troubles that come with it, but nights out in Tree Hill usually come with a drama and tonight was no exception...

Seeing Lucas walk into her office, Peyton let out a groan. "Ugh, you know what, just rip up the cheque, I'm moving office's anyway." She said.  
The two of them had been in an argument the night before, stemming from their previous relationship and how it ended. Accusations were made, book's were thrown and things were said that probably shouldn't have been...Peyton telling Lucas to stop being nice to her and how she'd pay him rent for starters.  
She'd been following him around TRIC for most of tonight with a cheque and although he seemed adamant that he wouldn't take it, she eventually found a way of giving it to him, but now she thought it would be easier to just move places.  
"Let me ask you something, do you have like an alarm in your head that goes off every time I'm happy with someone else?" Lucas asked as he reached her, but he was met by silence. "What do you want from me?!" He then yelled making Peyton jump a little and she turned around to face him. "I fly to L.A, I ask you to marry me, you said no so I moved on." He told her as she stood up. "Why haven't you?" He then asked and instead of bottling things up and getting into another fight with him, she thought it was time to just be honest with him.  
"Because I should have said yes." She simply replied and now it was his turn to be silenced. "Luke, I was young and I was scared and I never realised that by saying I wasn't ready it would mean that we'd never be together again, had I known that, I would have said yes." She explained and he shook his head, not wanting her to go any further.  
"Peyton..." He started and put his hand up to stop her, but she stopped him.  
"No. Luke, I miss you every day and I've told everyone here that I didn't come back for you, but I did. Of course I did." She admitted and he looked at her with sudden pain and sadness in his eyes. This was everything he wanted to hear and it meant everything to him, but he was with Lindsey now. "I still love you Lucas." Peyton whispered and he shook his head, feeling torn and confused.  
"Peyton I..." He started, but she stopped him by kissing him.  
It barely lasted seconds before he pushed her away, but he felt it; that same spark that he only got when he kissed her and as he looked into her eyes, he suddenly felt alive again, like that kiss had brought him back to life. All the love, everything he felt for her, it had suddenly re-awakened him. He knew it was wrong, but before he could stop himself he was kissing her and everything felt as it should.  
"You still love me don't you?" Peyton whispered when they pulled away and Lucas knew he had to end things with Lindsey before he could answer that question.  
"I have to go see Lindsey." He told her and Peyton couldn't hide the disappointment on her face, she felt the spark between them when they kissed and she was sure he had too, but now she assumed he just felt guilt and regret.

Making his way home from TRIC Lucas sighed, he knew he was already in the dog house with Lindsey after she'd stormed off earlier in the evening, they'd not been getting on too well lately, infact ever since Peyton came home and him breaking this to her would just be the icing on top of her cake!  
"Linds?" He called as he walked into his house and two thoughts suddenly sprung into his mind that he'd never realised before. He still thought of this place as his house not theirs, even though they lived together and he'd never called Lindsey anything other than Linds. In the past when he was with Peyton, he'd called her 'babe', 'baby' and other various terms of endearment, but with Lindsey, it had always been the shortened version of her name. It really wasn't love.  
"When were you planning on telling me?" He suddenly heard her teary voice say, bringing him out of his thoughts and towards his bedroom where her voice was coming from.  
He suddenly panicked to himself, wondering how she knew? He'd only kissed Peyton about 10 minutes ago and as far as he knew, Lindsey hadn't been there to witness it or suspect that he was about to break up with her.  
"I didn't even know you were thinking about it!" She added, still sounding teary and as Lucas walked into his room, he got a shock of his own.  
There she stood with tears running down her cheeks, a box in her hand and a smile on her face. She'd found the ring, she'd found Peyton's ring and she'd put two and two together and had come up with five!  
"I'm sorry, but I was packing some things and I found it in one of the drawers." She explained and it was at this point that Lucas noticed her half packed bags on the bed. She was obviously going to leave him, but now she was on about marrying him?!  
"Lindsey..." He started  
"Yes." She said and he looked at her dumbstruck. He wasn't about to propose, he was about to explain!

Meanwhile over at TRIC, Peyton was confessing her doubts to Brooke, she hadn't let on that she'd kissed Lucas or told Brooke how she felt about him, but she did admit that he was the reason she'd come back home.  
Brooke wasn't at all surprised, she'd known from the moment Peyton had called her from L.A! What did surprise her though was how unsure Peyton was about Luke's feelings. It seemed Peyton was convinced that his feelings were with Lindsey now and there was nothing she could do about it.  
"Honey, Lindsey doesn't stand a chance, trust me." Brooke told her and Peyton still didn't look convinced. "Listen, I have been the 'Lindsey' between Lucas and Peyton and it is not a great place to be." She added with a laugh.  
"Yeah, well neither's the place I'm at." Peyton told her, still hearing Luke's voice in her head saying how he had to go and see Lindsey after they'd kissed.  
"Are you kidding? You're Peyton Sawyer, the guy wrote a whole book about how much he loves you." Brooke said and Peyton looked at her.  
"You think he still does?" She asked and Brooke looked at her seriously.  
"It has always been Lucas and Peyton, you guys are meant to be together, it's the way it's supposed to be." She confirmed, rubbing a comforting hand on Peyton's shoulder. "So go and get your man and this time if he proposes, please say yes." Brooke added and Peyton laughed.  
"Ok." She said and then hugged her best friend and thanked her before leaving the club.

It didn't take her long to get to Luke's and although she didn't know what to expect when she saw Lindsey open the door, nothing prepared her for what she got!  
"Lindsey, I'm sorry, I..." Peyton started, but she was soon cut off.  
"Lucas asked me to marry him." Lindsey told her, holding up her left hand. "And I said yes." She added.  
Peyton just stood numb to the spot and as Lucas appeared, he saw the same pain and heartbreak hitting her, like it was him.  
"Wow...erm congratulations!" Peyton said after a few moments of silence. "I'm really happy for you both." She added and Lindsey smiled like the cat who'd got the cream.  
"Thanks...what was it you came over for?" She asked and Peyton went blank, she was still trying to process what she'd just been told and why she'd ended up congratulating them?  
"Oh erm...it was just something to do with TRIC that I wanted to run by Lucas, it can wait though, I'm sure you guys wanna be celebrating your engagement, I'll leave you to it." She replied with a fake smile and Lindsey just nodded.  
As Peyton turned to leave, she finally let the tears she'd been holding back, glaze over her eyes and fall down her cheeks.  
She was halfway to Brooke's when she heard his voice calling her, but she didn't turn around.  
"Peyton please!" He said as he grabbed her arm and forced her to stop and look at him. It broke his heart seeing the state she was in.  
"Lucas just leave me alone." She told him.  
"Not until you let me explain!" He said, but she shook her head and pushed past him.  
"There's nothing to explain...I get it ok!" She shouted.  
"You don't! Please Peyton just hear me out!" He begged, starting to catch up with her again.  
"No, you hear me out!" She shouted stopping in her tracks. "I don't want to see or speak to you ever again Lucas Scott, got it?" She yelled with fire in her eyes and tears cascading down her cheeks, all Luke wanted to do was wipe them away and pull her into his arms, but he was too shocked by what she'd just said to react. "Good." She said into the silence. "Now leave me the hell alone!" She added before walking away from him.  
She didn't bother letting herself into Brooke's place when she finally got there, it was late now and she knew she'd wake her, if not from the sound of the door closing then from the sound of the sobs that were now racking her body.  
Instead she got into her Comet and cried until she had no more tears left. Her head was all over the place and she hadn't felt this emotionally stressed since her Mom died. That's when it suddenly hit her! There was only one thing she wanted to do now and she wasn't sure if it was for the thrill of it or to just forget the pain, anger and confusion that was whirling around in her head, but she turned the key in the ignition and set off down the road.  
The lights went from red to green and Peyton stopped, she was really doing this again. As she waited for them to change, she got a flashback to her high school days and the last time she'd done this.  
"My Mom ran one red light, I run them all the time and nothing happens." She heard her young voice telling Lucas. She never thought he'd be part of the reason she was sat here reliving it again all these years later.  
The lights then went from green to red and that's when she took off, roaring down the road, but unlike the last time she'd done this, something did happen, something terrible! Another car shot out in front of her and Peyton hit it full on!  
The last things she remembered before everything went black was the sound of screaming, the smell of smoke and telling Lucas that she never wanted to see or speak to him ever again.


	2. Chapter 2

Brooke was woken up from her sleep by her phone going off. As she opened her eyes and reached over to it, she noticed it was 2am. "Hello?" She sleepily answered, not bothering to see who was calling.  
"Brooke Davis?" A woman asked.  
"Yes this is she, who's calling?" She replied.  
"I'm a nurse at Tree Hill Memorial Hospital, your friend Peyton Sawyer was brought in earlier, you're down as her next of kin." The nurse explained and Brooke suddenly shot up in bed feeling very much awake.  
"Is she ok? What's happened?" Brooke asked in a panic.  
"She was involved in a car crash, she's in surgery right now, but you should come down as soon as..."  
"I'm on my way!" Brooke cut in before hanging up.  
She felt confused and was on the verge of breaking down in tears, she didn't know how bad the situation was or how this had happened, but she knew she had to stay strong and get to the hospital as soon as possible, all her questions and queries would be answered when she got there.

An hour had gone by since Brooke arrived, she'd been shown to a family room and a doctor explained to her the extent of Peyton's injuries. It didn't sound too bad at first, just a broken leg which she'd had surgery on and a few bruised ribs, but then she heard the words 'head injuries', 'coma' and 'possible memory loss'!  
"I'm sorry what?" Brooke asked, checking that she'd heard right.  
"Due to the head injuries Miss Sawyer has suffered, there's a chance that she may have some memory loss if and when she does wake up." The doctor explained.  
Brooke zoned out for a bit, taking in what he'd said and then she looked at him.  
"Will." She said and the doctor looked at her confused.  
"I'm sorry?" He questioned and Brooke looked him in the eyes.  
"She will wake up." She told him and the doctor just gave a sympathetic smile.  
"A nurse will let you know when you can go and see her, it shouldn't be too long, we're just getting her settled first." He then explained and Brooke nodded.  
"Thank you." She said before his pager went off and he got called away to another patient.  
While waiting for the nurse, Brooke went and called people to let them know what had happened, she managed to get hold of everyone except Larry.   
Haley and Nathan were the first to arrive, Brooke had told them on the phone that they didn't need to come, but they insisted.  
"Where's Jamie?" Brooke asked after she'd hugged them both and Nathan looked at her confused.  
"He's sleeping round Chuck's tonight remember?" He asked and Brooke let out a breath before nodding.  
"Sorry, I keep forgetting that we were all out together earlier, it feels like it was ages ago." She answered.  
"Did they say what happened?" Haley then asked and Brooke shook her head.   
"All I got told was that it was a car crash, I don't know if anybody else was involved, nothing?" She explained.  
The door then opened and Lucas walked in looking extremely pale and worried. Lindsey followed in behind also looking concerned. "Has there been any more news?" She asked as Lucas went over and hugged Brooke who then broke down in his arms.   
"Sorry." She said as she pulled away and then she shook her head before looking at Lindsey. "No, only that a nurse will be along soon to tell us when we can see her." Brooke answered as she wiped her tears away. It was only then she realised that Lindsey was actually here! Peyton obviously hadn't gone to get her man back before this crash had happened or she'd been on her way to when it did?  
"Erm...this might sound a little odd, but did Peyton come to see you at all tonight...after she'd been at TRIC?" Brooke asked Luke and just as he was about to speak, a nurse walked into the room.  
"You're welcome to go and see Peyton now." She said with a smile. "Just two at a time though please and don't be alarmed by the machines or tubes, they're just there to help her." She added and then told them where she was.

"Who's going in?" Brooke asked once the nurse had left.  
"I think it should be you and Luke first." Nathan said, but Lucas shook his head.  
"No, you go man." He told his brother and Nathan and Brooke both looked at him confused.  
"You're her two best friends, she wouldn't want to see me." He explained, not being able to forget what Peyton had said to him earlier. "Besides, someone's going to have to keep trying Larry." He added and although they both looked confused by what he'd said about Peyton not wanting to see him, they just nodded and walked out of the room.  
"I think I'll go get everyone a coffee." Lindsey then said and also left the room, leaving Haley and Lucas alone.  
"I don't think you should be here." Haley suddenly told him.  
"Well they said it's only two at a time so..." He replied, but she shook her head.  
"I meant here in the hospital, I don't think you should be here." She repeated and Lucas looked at her surprised!  
"What?" He asked.  
"Why are you here Luke?" She questioned and he looked at her feeling mortified, why was she being like this? Where had this come from?!  
"What do you mean why am I here? Where else would I be?! One of my closest friends has just been in a serious car crash...I care about her, just like you and Brooke and Nate." He explained, although he wasn't quite sure why he was having to?  
"You care about her...right funny that because I saw you kissing her in the office tonight and I thought that was bad enough, but then you walk in here with Lindsey and I see an engagement ring on her finger?!" She almost yelled and Luke just closed his eyes, suddenly realising why Haley was being the way she was and the feelings of remorse and regret deepened in him.  
"It's not how it looks ok?" He said.  
"Really? Well you tell me how it looks, because from where I'm sitting this feels just like high school all over again when you were with Brooke and I caught you kissing Peyton in the library!" She told him.  
"I love Peyton...you know that I've always loved Peyton and guess what, before you walked in and saw what you did, she told me she still loved me too." Luke said.  
"Right and you just forgot that you had a girlfriend at this point?" A voice suddenly said and they both looked to see Lindsey stood there, they'd not heard her come back into the room.  
"Lindsey..." Lucas started, wondering if this night could get any more fucked up?!  
"No, you carry on with your story Luke, don't mind me." She told him and Haley sat there suddenly feeling bad for her, for him and for Peyton.

While all this was happening in the family room, Brooke and Nathan were sat at Peyton's bedside and Brooke had been finding it harder than she imagined. The nurse had warned them about the machines and tubes, but there was a lot more than she thought there'd be. Her best friend didn't even look like her best friend, she had a thick white bandage wrapped around her head and skin the colour to match.  
"I don't even know what to say to her?" Brooke's raspy voice said, full of emotion that she was trying to hold back.  
Nathan reached over and took her free hand in his and gave it a loving squeeze. They'd been sat either side of Peyton's bed holding each of her hands and he'd been doing most of the talking.  
"Just imagine that she's sleeping." He told her. "Think of this as a time to just talk...get anything of your chest that you know she can't answer back to." He added with a slight laugh and Brooke let out a small smile before looking at Peyton's face.  
"I came home for Lucas too you know...game on bitch!" She joked and Nathan looked at her.  
"Peyton came home for Luke?" He asked and Brooke nodded.  
"Yeah, she denied and denied and denied it, but tonight she finally told me the truth." She replied with a happy smile, but then it dropped. "She was going to tell him tonight too, but I don't think she got the chance?" She added. "What if she never gets the chance?" She then asked and felt her voice breaking.  
"Hey come on, this is Peyton we're talking about. She's been through a school shooting, two dead Mom's and a psycho stalker, I'm pretty sure she can get through this." Nathan said and Brooke blinked back the tears that were threatening to fall and just nodded.   
"Yeah, she's P. Sawyer, she can get through anything." Brooke told herself.

It had been ten minutes since Lindsey had walked in and heard what Haley and Lucas were saying, and she'd now been told that the engagement ring she was wearing was the one meant for Peyton and that Lucas hadn't meant to propose to her tonight, infact at all and everything that had happened tonight had been a mistake, a misunderstanding!  
"So that's why she came over earlier, it wasn't to run something by you, it was to get you back!" Lindsey said, clicking the pieces of the puzzle together. "Wait, you went out to catch her up after that, telling me you wanted to hear what she had to say...what did she have to say Lucas?" Lindsey asked and Haley sat there, wishing that she'd never brought this up with him earlier.  
"She said she never wanted to see or speak to me ever again. Happy now?!" He replied in anger and sadness.  
"Well that makes two of us." Lindsey said as she pulled the ring off her finger and placed it down on the coffee table in the room.  
"Lindsey..." Haley started, but she shook her head before looking at Lucas.  
"I'll pack the rest of my things up like I'd started and I'll be gone by the time you get home." She told him and with that she opened the door and left, just as Nathan and Brooke walked in.  
"What's going on?" Brooke asked and Lucas let out a sigh, he thought tonight had already been bad enough, but he knew it was about to get a hell of a lot worse!


	3. Chapter 3

"Well, what's going on?" Brooke asked again after getting no reply from either Lucas or Haley.  
"It doesn't matter right now, but Peyton does. How is she?" Luke asked and Brooke just sighed before sitting down in a chair. It was at that point that her eye caught sight of a ring on the coffee table, a ring she recognised only too well.  
"She's...she's doing ok." Nathan answered for her as he took a seat next to Haley.  
"Ok? Nathan she looks like...wait what's that doing here?" She then asked, pointing at the ring.  
"It's just something Lindsey left behind." Haley explained and then got up, wanting to go and see Peyton.  
"But that's Peyton's ring, the one you proposed to her with in L.A." Brooke said as she looked over at Lucas. "Hang on, what do you mean Lindsey left it behind?" She asked looking at Haley who sighed before sitting back down and then Brooke looked back at Luke. "What was Lindsey doing with Peyton's engagement ring?" She questioned and Luke suddenly sprung to his feet looking agitated and angry.  
"She thought I asked her to marry me tonight ok, just like Peyton did and Haley too!" He yelled, not being able to take much more.  
"Peyton?" Brooke whispered and just as Lucas was about to explain everything, two cops walked into the family room.  
"We're sorry to interrupt, but we were wondering if any of you could help us with our inquiries." The taller one asked.  
"Yes of course, anything." Haley replied as Luke nodded and then sat down himself.  
"Ok, we've taken a statement from the driver of the other car and…”  
"So there was somebody else involved, I knew there had to be, she's usually such a good driver! Were they drinking, I bet they'd been drinking!" Brooke ranted and the two cops both looked at her.  
"Sorry, she's...Peyton's her best friend, we'd all been out earlier, it's been a long night, all this has happened and we haven't been told much." Nathan explained, trying to apologise for Brooke's outburst.  
"It's ok." One of the officers said. "From what we understand it was actually Peyton that caused the accident tonight. It seems she ran a red light." He added and Lucas closed his eyes. Flashbacks of how she used to do it in high school over her Mom's death suddenly came back to him and he was praying to God that she hadn't done it this time around because of him.  
"You said you'd all been out tonight..." The other officer then asked as he looked over at Nathan. "Had Miss Sawyer been drinking at all?" He questioned and Nathan shook his head before Brooke butted in.  
"Listen I'm sorry, but I really don't see how Peyton's to blame for this. The person saying that she ran a red light, are you sure they haven't got it wrong?" Brooke asked.  
"She used to run them all the time." Luke said quietly. "Her Mom died when she was younger by running a red light in a hurry to pick her up from school. Peyton blamed herself for it and started running them herself when she was older." He explained to the officers. "She'd stopped though...she'd stopped doing it years ago." He told them and Brooke as well as Nathan and Haley all looked at him in surprise, none of them ever knew that she'd tried it herself!  
"Ok, well if drink wasn't to play, how about drugs? Would she have taken anything to make her do this?" The smaller of the officers asked.  
"This is ridiculous! She wasn't drunk and she wasn't high!" Brooke then shouted and suddenly it hit her. She was the reason Peyton was in here! "Oh my god, it's all my fault." She suddenly whispered and then felt her eyes glaze over with tears.  
"Brooke?" Haley asked.  
"I told her to go and get her man, I told her to go and see Lucas!" She said and then started sobbing. "She must have hurried to his place in her car like her Mom had hurried to the school and now history's repeating itself!" She added through tears. "Oh my god, I should never have told her to go!" She sobbed and Nathan got up and pulled her into his arms.  
"Brooke this isn't your fault." He said.   
"No he's right." Luke told her and then bowed his head down. “If it's anyone's it's mine." He added and the two officers looked at him. "Peyton kissed me tonight at TRIC, which is where we'd been out to." He explained as he looked at the cops. "I pulled away and then kissed her myself. I had a girlfriend and I told Peyton that I needed to go and see her. I was planning to end things with her so that I could be with Peyton." He said and the officers nodded while writing things down. "Only things didn't work out like that. When I got home, my girlfriend had found a ring, that one there." Lucas told them, nodding his head in the direction of the ring that was still sat on the table. "My girlfriend thought I was going to propose to her and as I went to explain, she said yes! It was all a big misunderstanding and then Peyton shew up at my door and like everyone else tonight, thought that I'd asked my girlfriend to marry me." He continued.  
"So Miss Sawyer was upset?" The taller of the officer's asked and Lucas nodded.  
"She was heartbroken. I could see it in her face. She made her excuses and left, but I caught up with her and that was when..." He said and then took a breath. "That was when she told me she never wanted to see or speak to me ever again." He told them and Nathan now realised why Lucas hadn‘t gone in to see her before. "The next thing I knew she'd been rushed in here." Luke finished and although he felt terrible, he felt a little better for finally being able to explain to everyone what had really happened tonight.  
"Thank you, that's helped us a lot." The cops said, piecing the story together.  
"Erm...the driver of the other car, are they too badly injured?" Haley then asked and one of the officer's shook his head.  
"Just whiplash, a broken arm and a touch of concussion." He replied. "They might want to press charges though and obviously we'll be needing to speak to Peyton if and when she wakes up." He said.  
"Will!" Brooke shouted! "She will wake up, I wish everyone would stop putting an 'if' there!" She added in frustration and the officer just nodded before taking their names and details before leaving.

"Well at least we know what happened now." Haley said and Nathan agreed.  
"I can't believe we never knew she used to run red lights though." He added.  
"Yeah well you were too busy being a jackass boyfriend to her back then to notice anything!" Brooke told him sarcastically as she pulled out of his embrace.  
"Brooke!" Haley exclaimed. She knew Brooke hadn't had a lot of sleep, none of them had, but it wasn't right for her to take all this out on Nathan or anyone for that matter.  
"Well it's true!" She replied and Nathan sighed.  
"Maybe so, but you're her best friend and you didn't know about it either!" He told her and Haley sighed.  
"Guys, this isn't the time or place ok." She said and Brooke apologised with Nathan doing the same.  
While all this was going on around him, Lucas had been sat in silence, blaming himself and wishing it was him that had been in Peyton's Comet when it collided with the other car. How could he have let this happen?! He was the guy that saved her, the guy that always saved her and now she was lying in a coma in a place she couldn't stand because of him!  
"Lucas, are you coming?" He suddenly heard and he looked up to see Haley stood there.  
"Sorry what?" He asked.  
"I'm going to see Peyton, are you coming?" She asked again and even though he was going to say no, Brooke beat him to it.  
"No he's not!" She said and Haley and Nathan looked at her confused. "He has no right, he's the reason she's in here!" She told them.  
"Brooke come on that's not..." Nathan started, but she wasn't having any of it.  
"No, did you not hear what he told the police?! Peyton said she never wanted to see or speak to him ever again. I thought I was to blame for all this at first, but it's him, it's Luke's fault!" She said.  
"Brooke, nobody's to blame for this, not you, not Lucas, not even the damn red light that she drove through and if she was able to talk to you right now, I'm pretty sure the only person Peyton would be blaming would be herself. She chose to do what she did in a moment of emotional madness." Haley told her and Brooke looked down before shrugging.  
"I just think he should go home?" She said quietly and Luke didn't need telling twice.  
"Don't worry, she's right. I'll...I'll be in touch." He said as he got up and then walked out of the room.

Nathan watched as his brother walked out, he looked so lost, hurt, confused and terribly guilty. He sighed as he grabbed the ring from the coffee table and then headed out after him.  
"Luke!" He called and Lucas stopped before turning around.  
"Here, you forgot this." He said as he handed him the ring.  
"Not much use to me now is it?" He asked and Nathan just looked at him.  
"Peyton still loves you Lucas, she kissed you tonight! Whatever she said or did afterwards was in the heat of the moment, just like Brooke back there. Deep down she knows this isn't your fault and it really isn't man, trust me." He told him and Luke sighed as he placed the ring in his pocket and then ran a shaky hand over his face.  
"What if she never wakes up? What if this is it? What if I never get to see her again?" He asked feeling his voice breaking and for the first time since Keith died, Lucas broke down.  
Nathan just pulled him into a brotherly hug and let him get his emotions out. "Don't talk like that ok, she's going to be fine, she's been through more than this in her life." He told him.  
"I'll never be able to forgive myself if something happens to her Nate." Luke said.  
"You're not going to have to ok because nothing is. Stop thinking like that." He told him and Luke pulled away wiping his eyes and then let out a deep breath.  
"What do I do now?" He asked.  
"You go home, you call Larry, you get some sleep, you let go of this guilt, you wake up, you have breakfast, you shower and then you come back here and see the love of your life." Nathan replied.  
"What about Brooke?" Lucas asked.  
"Leave her to Haley, she'll come around." He answered and Luke just pulled a face, not feeling entirely convinced.  
"You should have seen how happy she was when she thought you and Peyton were finally getting back together earlier, I mean you heard yourself how she'd told Peyton to 'go get her man'. She's rooting for you two just like the rest of us. Just give her time Luke, she's had a shock tonight, we all have, but things will be ok." Nathan told him and Lucas just sighed before nodding.  
"Thanks little brother." He said before hugging him and Nate patted him on the back.  
"Anytime, now go and sort yourself out and we'll be in touch if there's any changes ok?" He replied and Luke just nodded, hoping like everyone that any changes would be good ones.


	4. Chapter 4

A week had gone by since Peyton had been rushed into hospital. Seven long days, one hundred and sixty eight whole hours and still there had been no change. Not with Peyton anyway, but Lindsey had been true to her word and was gone by the time Lucas got home that night and hadn't been seen or heard of since and Larry had finally been gotten hold of and had been at the hospital ever since. Brooke had also calmed down the morning after the police had spoken to her and the others and she'd apologised to Lucas for putting the blame on him.   
He was still battling with his demons though. He'd been at the hospital every minute of every passing day since, but he'd stayed in the family room. Not once had he made the short walk to where Peyton was. The words she'd told him from that night still etched in his mind. On numerous times Haley or Nathan or whoever was there would try to coax him round, even Brooke, but he just shook his head and stayed where he was.

Today little Jamie was having his first visit to see Peyton. At first, Nathan and Haley had wanted to keep him away, a place like this didn't seem right for someone of his age, but he kept telling them he wanted to come. He'd been sad when Haley had told him that Aunt Peyton was sick and even sadder when Nathan had told him that he couldn't see her until she was home and better.   
"Hi Uncle Lucas." He said as he walked into the family room with Haley.  
"Hey buddy." Luke said with a small smile as he hugged him.  
"Any change?" Haley asked as she hugged and kissed his cheek. Everyone had been taking it in turns at the hospital so that Peyton was never alone. Skills was in with her at the moment while Brooke and Larry were getting some coffees.  
"No, still the same." Luke replied and then sat down.  
"I drew Aunt Peyton a picture, do you think she'll like it?" Jamie then asked as he handed Lucas the drawing. Luke noticed it was of everyone with the words 'Get Well Soon' and lots of kisses underneath.  
"I think she'll love it." He told him.  
"Jamie was wondering if you'd like to go in with him?" Haley tried and Lucas looked up at her. "It'll be his first time and...yours too." She added and then he looked at Jamie.  
"I don't know bud?" He said and Jamie looked a little disappointed.  
"I think he'd rather go in with you than me." Haley pushed and Lucas looked at Jamie's little face, he knew he was already sad about Peyton and he didn't want to make his nephew any more sadder.  
"Alright. We'll go in together when Uncle Skills comes out ok?" He told him and Jamie hugged him while Haley smiled to herself.

Skills had been chatting to Peyton for the last half an hour. He made it his duty to keep her up to date with all the latest music news whenever he visited and today was no different.  
"You know The Cure are going on tour again? Announced it last night. So you better wake up soon skinny girl cos I got you tickets! That ass of yours needs to be at their gig, not in this bed!" He told her, but other than the beeping of the machines she was attached to, there was just silence.  
"The other ticket is for Luke by the way, it's 'bout time he was dragged to a gig of theirs, his squint fits their music." He added and then laughed to himself as he imagined Luke's face at having to be there, but then he stopped laughing as he remembered what Luke's face had looked like for the last week.  
"Skinny girl, he needs you. He's...well he's brooding a hell of a lot more than normal. He's a real mess. My dawg...well he smell like a dog, he ain't shaved or showered. I ain't seen him this bad since Keith died. You need to wake up for him, a lot's happened since you were in here, Lindsey left and he's been stuck in the family room, scared to come in. We keep trying to make him, but...well I guess you know 'cos you won't have heard his voice, but if you can hear mine right now, just wake up...you got a gig to go to and a boy that needs to tell you he loves you!" He told her and then planted a kiss on her cheek before sighing and then he left.

Lucas looked as the door went and Brooke and Larry walked back into the family room with the coffees. Luke shook his head as Brooke offered him his and she sighed as she placed it on the table. It was only then that she saw Haley and Jamie sat there too and she smiled before giving them both a hug.  
"How you doing buddy?" She asked Jamie and he smiled.  
"I'm going to see Aunt Peyton with Uncle Lucas." He told her.  
"Oh you are, are you?" She replied and then looked at Luke who just weakly smiled at her.  
"Yeah, I'm going to give her this." Jamie said and then handed Brooke the drawing.  
"Wow, that's better than the stuff she draws! She's going to worship this buddy!" Brooke told him and Jamie smiled.  
"I'm hoping it'll make her better." He said.  
"I'm sure it will and I'm sure hearing your voice will as well." She told him and then looked at Lucas. "Yours too Broody." She added with a smile.  
Larry then hugged Jamie and whispered a quiet 'thank you' to Haley as he hugged her. He'd always liked Lucas and was glad that Haley's little push for him to go in with Jamie had worked. He'd hated seeing 'Rake Boy' hurting the way he was and blaming himself for all this. He was also hoping that Luke's voice might be the key to his daughter waking up? Nobody else's had seemed to do the trick yet.  
The door then went to the family room again and Skills came in telling them that Peyton was ready for her next visitors. He smiled as Jamie got up, but was surprised when he saw Lucas do the same!  
"Whoa, am I seeing things?" Skills asked and Jamie just smiled.  
"I wanted to go in with Uncle Lucas." He said and Skills nodded and then held his fist out for Jamie to bump.  
"I'm proud of you J.Luke." He told him and Jamie smiled before taking hold of Luke's hand and leaving the room.

It was only a short walk to where Peyton was, yet to Lucas it felt like the longest walk of his life. He still couldn't actually believe he was doing this, but as he got to the door of her room and saw her through the glass, everything suddenly felt real and his breath caught in his throat. Everyone had told him how she looked and what to expect, but it was a lot different seeing it for real.  
Getting himself together, knowing he had his four year old nephew with him, he knew he had to be strong and crouching down to Jamie's level, Lucas looked at him.  
"I want you to listen to me ok buddy?" He asked and Jamie nodded, waiting for him to carry on. "I know your Mom and Dad have probably told you that Aunt Peyton is sick and that there's lots of machines and tubes around her, but it's nothing to be scared about ok?" He said, wanting to give him a little warning before going in and Jamie nodded.  
"Mama said they help her." He replied and Lucas smiled and nodded.  
"That's exactly what they do." He told him. "She's going to be asleep when we go in and probably will be until we come out, but we can talk to her ok, she'll be able to hear us." He added and Jamie looked confused.  
"Won't we wake her up?" He questioned and as much as Lucas wanted to say yes and wished it was as simple as that, he shook his head. "Ok." Jamie replied.  
"Ready to go buddy?" Luke then asked and Jamie nodded before Luke took his hand and opened the door to Peyton's room.

They both walked in and as Lucas took a seat on the chair next to Peyton‘s bed, he lifted his nephew onto his lap. "Hey, I know I probably shouldn't be here, but someone wanted to see you and he didn't want to come in with anybody else." Lucas told Peyton and then Jamie spoke up.  
"Hi Aunt Peyton. It's Jamie." The little boy said. "I'm sorry that you're sick." He added and then looked down at the drawing he had in his hands. “I drew you a picture. Aunt Brooke says it's better than the ones you do." He continued and then reached over and placed it on her bed. "I hope it makes you better." He told her and Luke just smiled to himself. He couldn't believe how well Jamie was handling this. He was doing a much better job than he was!   
"Chester sends you rabbit kisses and he misses you." Jamie carried on and then continued to do so for the next hour! He told her everything he'd been doing at school over the last week, the play dates he'd had and how he'd made mud pies with Nathan!  
Luke on the other hand, hadn't said a word in the last sixty minutes. At first it was shock, then guilt, but now it was because of what Peyton had said the night that all this had happened. He still couldn't let it go and he knew it wouldn't be right for her to hear his voice or know he was there.  
A little tap on the door suddenly broke him from his thoughts and he turned to see Haley poke her head through.  
"It's been an hour, I was going to take Jamie back home." She said and Luke nodded. Jamie was a little disappointed at having to go, but he got told he could come again soon.  
He said his goodbyes to Peyton and then hugged his Uncle. "It's all going to be ok Uncle Lucas." He told him and then went over to Haley who just smiled at Luke before leaving.  
Luke was planning to do the same, but as he got near the door, he stopped himself and then ran a hand over his face and let out a sigh before turning back to look at Peyton.  
"Ok, so I know what you said...in fact I can't stop thinking about what you said, but the way I see it, you can't see me or speak to me right now so I'm just going to stay here and talk to you until you wake up and tell me to go." He found himself saying and soon enough, he was back in the chair and talking to her as if he hadn't spoken to her in years!  
"Last week when you told me you still loved me, I should have said it back...I was planning to say it back, but I wanted to break up with Lindsey first." He explained. "She was going to save me the job at first, she'd started packing by the time I'd got home, but somewhere in the middle of it all, she'd found your ring and thought it was for her. It was never for her, I still kept it because I thought and hoped that maybe one day me and you could get back together and be at that stage again." He told Peyton. "I was about to explain that to Lindsey, but before I had the chance, she said yes! I don't know why I didn't tell her sooner that it was your ring and that she'd assumed wrong, but she's gone now Peyt and I do love you, I never stopped and I never will. That's why I really need you to wake up for me. I need to tell you, you need to hear it and we need to be together." He explained and then felt tears prick at his eyes.  
He let out a sigh and then took her hand in his and softly kissed her knuckles. "Please baby, I need you to wake up." He whispered. "This isn't how we were supposed to be." He added sadly and then suddenly, he felt a light squeeze on his hand.


	5. Chapter 5

Slowly opening her eyes, all Peyton could see was white. It took her a few seconds to come around and when she did, she soon realised where she was and panicked. She hated hospitals and now she'd woken up to find herself in one!  
"Hey, hey it's ok." She heard and then looked to see the man whose voice she'd heard minutes before trying to calm her down. "Do you want me to go get a doctor?" He asked and Peyton shook her head, looking at him confused.  
"Y..you look diff...different?" She told him through a throaty voice and Lucas just nodded.  
"Yeah, I've let myself go a bit since you've been in here..." He admitted with a slight chuckle.  
"That explains the stubble then." She said with a smile, her voice getting a little stronger. "But no, you look...older?" She replied and then frowned again. "What...what am I doing in here anyway?" She asked and just as Lucas was about to explain, he noticed her face change completely as if it had all just suddenly come back to her. "Oh my God did they get him? Please tell me they got him...where's Brooke is she ok?" Peyton suddenly rambled a little hysterically and Luke looked at her confused.  
"Brooke's fine, she's out in the family..." He started but Peyton just looked terrified.  
"Did they get him...please Luke, I need to know!" She cried and he frowned before stroking her hand and face trying to calm her.  
"Who?" He asked, feeling totally confused.  
"Derek...did they get psycho Derek?!" She trembled and Luke just looked at her, not knowing what to say, do or think!  
"Listen, I'm going to go find your doctor ok?" He said, realising that it was the only thing he really could do right now, but Peyton yanked his arm down hard as he went to get up.  
"No!!! You can't leave me Lucas, not with him around...who's with Brooke, is she alone, she can't be alone either...I need to.."  
"You need to calm down ok." He told her and then stroked some hair out of her face. "Derek...he's in jail Peyton...they got him alright, so you've got nothing to worry about." He told her and was relieved to see her face change and her body relax. "Now I'm going to go get a doctor, but I'll be right back ok, I'm not going anywhere." He added and she just nodded and let him leave this time.

Lucas sighed to himself as he exited her room and quickly went off to find a doctor. He knew there was a risk of memory loss when she woke up, but he was hoping this was just confusion. It didn't take him long to find a doctor and he soon explained to him that Peyton had woken up and seemed confused.  
Walking into the room the doctor smiled at Peyton, but she didn't return it. "Hello Miss Sawyer, it's nice to have you back." He said and she just nodded.  
The door to her room then suddenly opened again and Peyton flinched at first, but when she noticed who it was she smiled.   
"Welcome back princess." Larry said as he hugged her and then Brooke did the same.  
"Sorry to barge in, only we saw Luke come out and then come back with a doctor so we figured something had happened. Thank God you're ok!" Brooke told her.  
"I could say the same about you!" Peyton replied and then dabbed her eyes a little as she pulled away.  
Brooke looked confused at first, not realising what she meant and then she just smiled. "Hey, I can cope without my best friend for a week...well just about." She joked and this time Peyton frowned.  
"No I meant..." She began, but the doctor cut in.  
"Would it be ok if you all just left alone us for a little while, I need to talk to Peyton for a few minutes." He asked and Larry and Brooke nodded and got up to leave with Lucas doing the same.  
"No wait, I want Luke to stay." Peyton said and Luke looked at her and then at the doctor.  
"Is that ok?" He asked and the doctor nodded.  
Larry and Brooke then left the room, both happy that Peyton had woken up and seemed to be as in love with Lucas as she was before her accident.

"Ok Peyton, I'm just going to ask you a few questions." The doctor said once her Dad and Brooke had left. She nodded as Luke sat down next to her bed.  
The doctor asked if she knew her full name, her date of birth, where she was, what state they were in and various other general questions, all of which she got right.  
Lucas listened as she answered them all and began to think she had just woken up confused earlier, that was until the doctor asked her how old she was.  
"18." She replied.  
"Ok, can you tell me what year we're in?" He then asked and Lucas just looked at her.  
"2007." She answered.  
"Can you tell me why you're in here, do you remember what happened?" He questioned while writing some things down.  
"I was getting ready for Prom. The door went and I thought it was Luke picking me up, but when I opened it, it was Derek. I don't really remember much after that except for Brooke turning up and we pushed him down the stairs...I think we called the police though?" She explained and Lucas sighed to himself. She didn't remember any of the car crash, any red light, any of the last four years!  
"What?" She asked as she looked at him.  
"Nothing, it's ok." He said.  
"That'll be all for now Peyton." The doctor told her and then motioned for Lucas to step outside with him. "We won't be long." He added and Peyton just nodded.

"Ok that's not normal is it?" Lucas asked once they were outside her room and the doctor looked down at the notes he'd taken.  
"Actually Mr Scott it's very common after what she's been through. She's also very lucky, some people's memories go back further." He told him.  
"It will come back to her though right? I mean, so much has happened in the last four years, she's graduated school and college, she has her own record label, one of her friends has even had a child! She can't have just forgotten everything, it will come back...won't it?" He asked.  
"It's hard to say Lucas. This sort of amnesia can sometimes take weeks, months, maybe even years in some cases. What's going to help her though is photos and stories, things like that can trigger the minds memory. Once I've explained to her about her amnesia and once we give her the all clear to go home, her friends and family will be able to remind her of things. We'll obviously set her up with meetings to see if she's making any progress, but unfortunately, we can't really do much more than that." He explained and Lucas just sighed.  
He thought that when she'd squeezed his hand earlier that things were going to be ok, she'd wake up and be fine, but now he felt all the guilt from before pile on top of him again!  
"Thank you." He said to the doctor, not really knowing what else to say.

Luke made his way to the family room and prepared himself for what he was about to tell Larry and Brooke. Opening the door, they smiled at him, but then their smiles dropped when they saw his face.  
"What's wrong is Peyton ok?" Brooke asked and Larry looked just as concerned.  
"Yeah...sort of?" He said.  
"Sort of?" Larry asked and Lucas looked at them both.  
"She thinks it's 2007." He told them and Brooke frowned.  
"But that was four years ago? Why would she...." Brooke started and then she realised. "Memory loss?" She asked and Lucas looked down and nodded.  
"We got told there could be a chance of this." Larry said trying to cushion the blow.  
"The doctor actually said she's lucky, it could have gone back further." Lucas explained.  
"In that case we should be thankful, at least she knows us all." Larry said.  
"Brooke?" Lucas asked, fearing what was going on in her head as she'd been quiet.  
Not wanting to blow up on him and blame him like she'd done exactly a week ago, Brooke just sighed.  
"Larry's right, she knows us and that's something...is there anything we can do or that they can do here to help her?" She asked.  
"The doctor said that once they've given her the all clear here, she can come home and we can show her photos and tell her stories to try and trigger something." He explained.  
"Ok, well that's what we'll do." She said and then Luke sat down and sighed.  
"Where's home for her though? I mean she lives with you right now Brooke, but back then..." He started.  
"She lived in my house." Larry answered.  
"I don't think she's going to want to be there though, the last thing she remembers is prom with psycho Derek." Luke told them.  
"Well you know where she stayed after that happened." Brooke said looking at him and he nodded.  
"I was her boyfriend back then though, a lot's happened since. How do I get around that?" He asked and Brooke and Larry both looked at each other, knowing as little as Lucas did.  
"Jamie." Brooke suddenly said. "She's not going to recognise Jamie." She told them sadly and they both sighed. This was going to be harder than any of them first thought.


	6. Chapter 6

It had been a few weeks since Peyton had been released from hospital, she'd been told of her memory loss, the crash and certain other things that had happened in the last four years. To say she was confused was an understatement, but she was learning to cope, deal and understand it all. Everyone thought it was best if she stayed at home with Larry which she did, but every few days she'd spend the night at Brooke's or go over to Luke's or stay with Haley and Nathan...they hoped that by doing so she could familiarise herself with the way things were now and they hoped it would trigger things as well.

The weirdest thing for Peyton was seeing Jamie. She'd been told how she'd graduated high school, got her own label, broke up from Luke and plenty of other changes, but she wasn't used to there being a child around. As far as Peyton could remember, Haley was pregnant with Jamie before she woke up in the hospital, but now she'd suddenly had him and he was four years old?! She wasn't the only one finding it weird though, Jamie himself had been a little confused at Peyton not remembering him. Haley and Nathan had explained it in the best way they could to their young son and at first he'd put on a brave face around Peyton, but then when she'd go home to Larry's after a visit, he'd get a little upset. Thankfully things had started to get a bit easier for both of them in the last few days. Peyton had been more chatty to him, asking him how school was and what he was interested in and Jamie became more himself around her and had stopped getting upset.

Brooke had also been finding Peyton's memory loss tough. Not being much of a patient person, she'd taken Peyton to her shop shortly after she'd come out of hospital, then on to the house they shared and then she got loads of photo albums out! She just wanted her best friend to remember something and thought that was the best way to do it, but for Peyton it was too much too soon.  
Brooke felt frustrated by it all, but her frustration didn't last long when something unexpected happened.

Peyton had been at Luke's, she still found it strange that they weren't together anymore and what was odd was how different the house was. Karen had moved out two years ago and like Haley she'd had her baby and she was now living with Andy in New Zealand! Luke had made the place his own and he'd told her everything she wanted to know; the reason they weren't together anymore, Lindsey, the misunderstanding that had caused this whole thing in the first place. She had to say that as much as she admired his honesty, (because he could have just made things up and she wouldn't have been any the wiser), that she sadly didn't remember any of it.  
That was until there was a knock at the door one day when she was round there. Luke went to get it and Peyton saw Skills walk in.  
"Wassup P. Sawyer." He said as he gave her one of his famous hugs. She smiled as she pulled away.  
"What brings you by?" Luke asked and Skills flashed some tickets in his hand.  
"Well I don't know if you're gonna be up for going, but I thought I should leave them with you." He said and then handed Peyton the tickets.  
Lucas watched on confused as Peyton's face lit up. "Tickets for The Cure?!" She gasped and Skills nodded.  
"They went on sale when you was in your coma and I figured since you couldn't get them, I would." He explained and she just squealed in excitement.  
"Oh my god, have I told you how great you are?" She asked and Skills just shook his head and smiled. "Well you are! Come here!" She said and then pulled him into a hug. "Thank you so much!" She added as she pulled away.  
"Don't 'spose you remember me telling you 'bout them when you was in your coma?" He asked and she gave a sympathetic smile before shaking her head.   
"Sorry." She said with a sigh and Skills just waved his hand.  
"Don't be, it's ok. Just thought I'd ask." He replied. "Jeez, you must be real sick of people asking you questions." He added.  
"No it's fine, I keep asking everyone else stuff so I'm probably driving you lot as mad." She replied.  
"Hey, you could never drive anyone mad." Lucas spoke up and she just smiled at him before turning back to Skills.  
"So who's the other ticket for? Or is this where I invite you as a thanks for getting me them?" Peyton asked with a laugh and Skills let out an inward sigh, knowing that she really didn't remember his little visit to the hospital the other week.  
"You can take whoever you want Skinny Girl, but if I was you, I'd take Broody just to make him brood more!" He told her and Luke just squinted at him, making both Peyton and Skills laugh.  
"I'll think about it." She answered and then Skills made his excuses and left them alone.  
It was half an hour later when Lucas noticed Peyton looking at the tickets for longer than any normal person would and he frowned. "You ok?" He asked and she looked at him confused.  
"Yeah...actually no?" She replied.  
"What's wrong?" He asked getting closer to her.  
"I just...I got this really weird deja vu feeling, almost like a flashback." She told him. "Have...have we done this before?" She asked and Lucas was about to shake his head when suddenly he got a flashback of his own! The tickets!  
"What do you remember?" He asked, not wanting to tell her incase he put it into her head.   
"I don't know? Just something about these tickets and The Cure..." She said and then looked back at them again.  
He could see her mind ticking over as she studied them and then suddenly she looked at him as if it had clicked into place.  
"We lost one! You got me tickets after graduation and we lost one!" She exclaimed and Lucas just let out a happy laugh and nodded.  
It was only a little memory out of about a million, but it was a start and it turned out to be the start of another.

A few days after her little bit of progress, Peyton took it upon herself to visit her record label. She couldn't believe she owned one and she was amazed when she heard that she had an artist! She was really thankful to Haley, who was covering for her while she was trying to find herself and she smiled at her as she walked into the building.  
"Hey Foxy." She greeted and Haley smiled.  
"Hey Girly, wasn't expecting to see you here." Haley replied. "How you doing?" She asked and Peyton shrugged.  
"Ok I guess? Thought I should probably come check this place out...it looks very me." She laughed and Haley looked around and nodded with a smile.  
"Yeah, only you would have a pool table in your office." She laughed and Peyton went and sat on it. "So I heard about your little memory trigger over the tickets." Haley told her and Peyton smiled.  
"Let me guess, Brooke?" Peyton asked and Haley nodded.  
Peyton had called Brooke up shortly after it happened and Brooke hadn't held back on showing her joy! She'd almost deafened Peyton on the phone!  
"Yeah, next time I think I'll let her know by text." Peyton told Haley who laughed.  
"So any more memories?" Haley asked and Peyton shook her head.  
"I wish I could say yes, I can see how frustrating it is to you guys." Peyton told her and Haley shook her head.  
"Don't worry about us, it's you that it must be more frustrating for. You're the one who's suddenly been thrown four years into the future, it must be so strange." Haley replied and Peyton nodded.  
"Yeah, well it was to begin with, but you guys have been so great. How's Jamie? I always worry that I scare him." Peyton admitted.  
"He's fine. I won't lie, he did get upset in the beginning, but like you, he's dealing with it now. He's more mature than I think at times." She told her and Peyton nodded with a sigh, feeling sad for the poor little boy.  
"I'm sorry that you're having to keep this place going for me, especially when you've got your family to look after and this teaching job...god I still find it weird that you and Luke work at the school now instead of going there as students." Peyton told her and Haley laughed.  
"It's fine and it's only for a few hours in the evenings...you'd do the same in my shoes." She said and Peyton nodded. "Where are you staying tonight by the way? I can give you a lift if you like?" Haley asked, noticing the time.  
"I was thinking of going to Luke's." Peyton said and Haley pulled a face.  
"You've been going there a lot lately." She replied and Peyton nodded before getting up off the pool table and having a walk around, taking in the artwork on the walls.  
"I know and I know I should be careful. Luke's told me everything that's happened between us in the last four years, it sounds heartbreaking, but I feel safe with him? I know my mind thinks it's four years ago and my heart loves him like it did four years ago, but it's always going to be there isn't it? Me and him...no matter what's gone on in the past." She explained, tearing herself away from the artwork and looking at Haley.  
"I know...I just…I don't want to see either of you getting hurt again." She told her and Peyton smiled.  
“I’m sure we’ll be fine.” She replied and Haley just nodded before grabbing her car keys.   
"Come on then, let's get you to Luke's." She said and they both left the building.

It was in the middle of the night when Peyton woke up in a cold sweat. Haley had dropped her off at Luke's a few hours ago and after watching some crap on TV, they'd called it a night and headed to bed. They'd shared Luke's bed every time she'd stayed recently, but it was always as friends and there was always clothing on.   
Rubbing her eyes, she felt tears escape them and she realised that the nightmare she'd just woken up from wasn't one...it was another flashback!  
Her and Luke were in L.A, they were in a hotel room, they were 19. He'd proposed, she said someday, he'd left the next morning.  
Getting herself together, she knew she couldn't stay here. Not after what she'd just remembered! She’d known about this moment, she’d been told about it by the man himself, but it was much harder than she thought it’d be on remembering it.  
Quietly climbing out of the bed, she grabbed her bag and then made her way to door and snuck out quieter than a mouse.   
She knew she should have probably left Luke a note or something, but he hadn't left one for her back then in that hotel room!  
As Peyton made her way to Brooke's, Lucas was still fast asleep unaware that Peyton had gone and that he was going to wake up to a taste of his own medicine.


	7. Chapter 7

Brooke had been asleep for a few hours when there was a sudden knock at her door. At first she thought she was hearing things, but when the banging sounded again, she got out of her groggy state and reached for the baseball bat beside her bed.  
"Who is it?" She shouted as she approached the door. You could never be too careful in Tree Hill, the town was no stranger to psychos and murderers, but once Brooke heard who was at the door, she soon put the bat down.  
"It's Peyton." Her best friend replied, but the tone she'd said it in made Brooke worry a little.  
Opening the door, she found Peyton stood there with tear marks down her face.  
"What's happened, are you ok?" She asked as she let her go inside and Peyton took a seat on the couch and let out a sigh as Brooke joined her.  
"I just pulled a Luke on Lucas." She said and Brooke looked at her confused.  
"You pulled a what? Have you been drinking or am I hallucinating and all this is some random dream that I won't even remember in the morning?" Brooke asked which caused Peyton to smile a little.  
"I was at Luke's, we'd gone to sleep and suddenly I remembered L.A and the proposal. My reaction to it was the same as his when I'd said someday." Peyton explained.  
"Wait you remembered something else?! Oh my God why is it always things that happen with that damn Scott boy that you remember and not me?!" Brooke exclaimed and then she noticed Peyton's face and the tear marks that were still there. "Right yeah, sorry not the bit I was supposed to be focusing on." She added and then let out a sigh. "He's going to be worried when he wakes up to find you gone, did you not even leave him a note?" She asked and Peyton shook her head.  
"I wanted to, but all I could see in my head was me waking up to find him gone and all I could feel was that pain in my heart. I guess I just wanted to do to him what he'd done to me so he knew what it felt like." Peyton told her and then began sobbing.  
"Hey, hey come here." Brooke said as she pulled Peyton into a hug and shushed her. "You know he was an idiot back then right, I mean I know he's not much better now what with some of the more recent stunts he's pulled, but he was young then Peyton." Brooke explained and Peyton pulled away and looked at her while wiping her eyes.  
"Are you defending him for leaving me in a hotel room and walking out of my life?" She asked and Brooke shook her head.  
"No of course not, but..." She started and then stopped, realising that she hadn't even said this to Peyton before her memory loss.  
"But what?" Peyton asked, wanting her best friend to continue and Brooke let out a sigh.  
"I saw him the night after he proposed to you. He was in New York and we met up. He told me about the proposal and I told him he was stupid for going all Naley on you. We had this fun, free night out thanks to that engagement ring of yours, but it wasn't fun...not for him. He just got wasted and told me how he felt lost and didn't know what to do without you." She explained. "He screwed up with that proposal and he screwed up by leaving that hotel room without so much as a goodbye to you, but he still loved you back then...he was just young." Brooke told her and Peyton let out a sigh and nodded as she took it all in.  
"Listen, I'm sorry for waking you up so late...or early given the time. I probably shouldn't have come round here." Peyton said and Brooke shook her head.  
"No, it's fine don't be silly. I'm glad you did. It's nice to be here for my best friend again. I miss that if I'm honest." Brooke admitted with a laugh, although they both knew what she meant.  
Since Peyton had been released from the hospital they hadn't really had much best friend time. Before, they'd go shopping or have a night out at Tric and just be roommates as well as best friends, but now it was house visits every few days and questions about what they'd done in the last four years. It wasn't the same.  
"Oh my god!" Peyton suddenly said as a fresh set of tears suddenly cascaded down her face and Brooke looked at her confused and worried.  
"What? What is it?" She asked and before she knew it, Peyton was hugging her tightly.  
"I miss that! You just said 'I miss that!' I said that to you on the phone from L.A! We hadn't seen each other for SO long and I remember calling you up and telling you how I missed the friendships we used to believe in and how I missed you!" Peyton told her as she pulled away and Brooke felt her own tears prick at her eyes. Peyton had finally remembered something to do with their friendship!  
"Yeah." Brooke said as she nodded her head and felt the tears fall, but she had a smile on her face.  
"I can't believe we let it get like that, both of us so unhappy and miles away from each other." Peyton added.  
"When all we both wanted..." Brooke started.  
"Was to come home." Peyton finished and Brooke smiled before grabbing the tissues for them both.

The next morning and Lucas woke up in an empty bed. At first he thought nothing of it. Peyton was probably having a shower or was somewhere else in the house, maybe she'd even tried to make breakfast, but as the time ticked by, he heard no noise coming from the shower or the smoke alarm for that matter and he'd started to get a little curious.  
He got out of the bed and walked down the hallway. "Peyton?" He called out, but got no answer. "Peyt?" He tried again, but still there was nothing?  
It was when he walked back into his room and over to the side of the bed where she'd been, that he noticed her bag had gone from the floor where she usually left it.   
He'd not heard the door go and when he looked around for a note and couldn't find one, he became worried. Her suddenly taking off like this was one thing, but her suddenly taking off like this with memory loss was another!  
Grabbing his phone from the bedside cabinet, he was about to ring her and then everyone else he could think of, but he saw a new message on his screen and felt relief wash over him as he read it.  
 _'Peyton's at mine, don't worry. Brooke. x'_  
He looked at the time she'd sent it and got quite a surprise when he realised it was at four that morning! Peyton had obviously left his place shortly before that and walked to Brooke's alone!  
 _'Thanks for letting me know. Is she ok? Why'd she take off like that?' x_ He typed back.  
 _'She remembered your L.A proposal & what happened after. She's fine though, we had a nice girly slumber party in the end. x'_ Brooke replied and Luke took a seat on his bed and sighed.  
Peyton remembering that was always something he was dreading, even though he'd told her about it and his other screw ups since, he was never sure how she'd react? Now he knew and he didn't know what to think? Brooke may have said that Peyton was fine in that text, but she couldn't have been to begin with, why else would she have left in the middle of the night without so much as a note?  
 _'Is it safe to come over? I need to talk to her. x'_ He sent a few minutes later and Brooke soon replied.  
 _'Yeah, come round anytime. I'll make sure she doesn't go wandering off again. x’_ He read and then had a shower and some breakfast before going over to Brooke's place.

Opening the door to Luke, Peyton gave him a sympathetic smile. "Sorry." She said and he shook his head.  
"No, don't be. I should be the one saying that...I don't think I ever did apologise for leaving you in that hotel room?" He admitted and then Brooke pushed her way past them in the doorway.  
"Right I'm off to work, but there is to be no fighting, no leaving without the other knowing and absolutely no making out on my couch or any other furnished thing in my house! Got it? Good!" She told them and then left them both to it.  
"Sorry about her, come in." Peyton said and Luke just laughed before walking inside.  
"So erm last night...me and you...we're...well we're cool yeah?" He asked as he sat down and she nodded walking into Brooke's kitchen.  
"Yeah, I just freaked out I guess? I couldn't be near you after remembering that, it just...well there were a lot of emotions and I know I should have woken you up or left you a note, but...the only thing I could think of doing was leaving like you'd left me. It sounds childish now though." She explained as she made them both a drink.  
"It sounds perfectly rational to me. I was expecting a kick in the balls when you opened the door just then!" He told her and she laughed as she handed him a drink and then sat down.  
"Well I did think about getting Brooke's copies of B.Davis magazine and throwing them at you, so you've got off lucky Scott." She replied with a smile, but Luke's face looked serious. "Luke, I was joking." She told him and he put his drink down and just scratched the back of his neck. "What? What have I said?" She asked.  
"Throwing stuff at me." He replied. "It triggered something in my mind that's all, I just wondered if it had for you too, but I don't think it has...not completely anyway." He added and suddenly Peyton thought back to what she'd said to him and tried to remember whatever it was that he had.  
"Peyt, forget it. It doesn't matter." Luke said, seeing how her mind was ticking over and she just nodded, knowing that whatever it was, it would eventually come to her at some point.  
"So Brooke told me you guys had a slumber party here last night." He laughed, before reaching for his drink.  
"Yeah, it was really nice to hang out like we used to. I even remembered some things." She told him and he looked at her, waiting for her to carry on. "Oh, it's nothing exciting, just how I'd called her up before we came home and how I knew where certain stuff was in the kitchen." She added.  
"I thought you looked like you knew your way around pretty well when you were getting our drinks." he told her. "That's great though Peyt, even if some of it is bad stuff or little things." He added and she nodded with a smile.  
Look, I want to ask you something and I've wanted to ask for the last few days..." She started, but then she stopped and sighed. "God this is complicated." She said.  
"Peyt it's fine." He said with a chuckle. "What is it?" He asked.  
"Ok, well I know that we're not together and we haven't been for four years, and I know that you might think this is my 18 year old self talking, but it's not because I've been told what's happened between us since then and I've even remembered a heartbreaking bit of it, but I still love you and from what I know and have been told, you still love me." She rambled and then rolled her eyes. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, do you want to go on a date sometime?" She asked and Lucas looked at her, he wanted to say yes more than anything, but this wasn't going to be simple. Would them dating affect her in someway?  
"Peyt, I...I don't know?" He answered and her face dropped. "It's not that I don't want to ok and you're right, I do still love you, I just don't know if us dating would be the best thing for you right now?" He explained.  
"What if my memory never fully returns Luke? I mean if that's the only thing stopping you and you're just waiting for it all to come back to me before we can be together again...well what if it never comes back...does that mean that we'll never be back either?" She asked with her voice cracking and he shook his head before going over and hugging her.  
"I just don't want to screw anything up for you in recovering...we both know that I've screwed up with us in the past." He told her while rubbing his hands up and down her back to comfort her.  
"Not if we take it slow, that's why I suggested dating." She said as she pulled away and he looked right into her eyes.  
"Are you sure this is what you want?" He asked as he caught a lone tear that was falling down her cheek.  
"More than anything." She said and he kissed her forehead before nodding.  
"Me too." He told her and she smiled.  
"How do you fancy that Cure gig?" She asked, knowing the date on the tickets was for next week and that Skills had told her to take his broody dawg.  
"Anywhere with you." He replied with a smile.

It was later that night when Lucas had gone back to his place and Peyton was back at her old house with Larry, that she suddenly remembered something.  
Her and her Dad were watching tv, or rather she was. Larry never did like the shows she watched as a teenager and that was something that hadn't changed. But it was when he took his head out of the book he'd been reading that Peyton got a flashback and she realised now why Luke's face had been so serious earlier when she'd told him she was thinking of throwing Brooke's magazines at him.  
 _"You didn't think I could do it! You didn't think I could get my novel published!" Luke fired with venom in his eyes. "Maybe you just didn't care?" He said, lowering his voice and she just nodded letting him say what he thought was right. "Because it wasn't about you, what you wanted." He added._  
 _"Well if that's the truth, if I NEVER cared, then how come every time I see THIS STUPID BOOK, I buy it EVERY STUPID DAMN TIME LUKE?" She fired, grabbing one in her hand. "YOU SAID I WAS GREAT!" She yelled, launching the first one at him. "YOU SAID I COULD BE GREAT!" She shouted, throwing another one his way. "YOU SAID WE WERE DESTINED TO BE TOGETHER!" She ranted as she chucked a third book at his head. "YOU SAID IT TO THE WORLD, YOU SAID IT TO ME AND I WISH YOU NEVER HAD BECAUSE YOU DID NOT MEAN ANY OF IT!" She screamed and threw a final book at him._  
She knew it wasn't something to smile about, at the time it had been horrible, but she'd remembered it and she was going on a date with him next week. Things were slowly starting to come back to her, in more ways than one!


	8. Chapter 8

A week had gone by and Peyton and Luke's date was tonight. She'd been excited about it for the last few days, but now she was suddenly feeling nervous at the same time. This wasn't going to be your average date after all and they'd done the whole dating thing years before.  
"What's eating at you Sawyer?" Nathan asked as he took a seat next to her on the bleachers of the Rivercourt. She'd joined him and Jamie on a morning of shooting around.  
"Tonight. I just...I don't want it to be awkward and weird." She replied and Nathan chuckled.  
"It's going to be hard not to given the circumstances, but trust me, you and Lucas have never had an awkward moment in all the years you've known each other. Tonight will be fine, you're worrying for nothing." He told her and she looked at him.  
"You think?" She asked and he just nodded with a smile.  
"I know." He told her and she thanked him.  
They both then watched Jamie as he took free throw after free throw and got them in every time.  
"He's going to be just like you when he's older." Peyton said.  
"Probably better given the way my back is." Nathan replied with a smile.  
"I still can't believe you were in a wheelchair up until recently. I mean you'd think I'd remember something as significant as that right?" Peyton said and Nathan just chuckled.  
"It'll come back to you...although I'd rather it didn't if I'm honest. I wasn't a great person then." He admitted and Peyton just shook her head.  
"Come on Nate, we all have our dark moments and look at you now." She told him with a smile and as she looked at him, something suddenly caught her attention. His hair.  
"What?" He asked as he noticed her face change, almost into one of laughter.  
"Did you go all punk and grow your hair when you were in that dark place?" She asked and Nathan nodded with a smile.  
"Yeah, you remember?" He asked and she nodded.  
"I think so, I suddenly got a vision of you with long hair anyway." She laughed.  
"Come and have a go Aunt Peyton." Jamie suddenly called and she looked over at him and smiled.  
"I'm not very good Jimmy Jam." She replied and Jamie suddenly looked at her in surprise. She'd not called him that since her accident.  
"What? What did I say?" She asked as she turned to Nathan, who looked just as surprised as his son.  
"Jimmy Jam. It's his nickname, but you haven't used it in a while." He explained and Peyton just looked confused.  
"Well I've not heard any of you guys call him it since I've been out of hospital?" She said.  
"That's because we didn't want to confuse you. We just stuck to Jamie to make it easier for you." He told her and before she knew it, Jamie had run up to her and hugged her tightly.  
"You remember me Aunt Peyton! You remember!" He exclaimed and she just hugged him back and smiled.  
"We're getting there buddy, we're getting there." She replied and then took him up on his offer and shot some hoops with him.

Meanwhile in the High School, Lucas was sat in his office. His thoughts on tonight. What was he going to wear? How was he going to act? Would it be weird? Hearing his phone suddenly ring, knocked him out of his thoughts and as he answered it, he was knocked for six by the voice at the other end.  
"Hi Lucas."   
"Lindsey?" He questioned in shock.  
"Look I know how we left things and trust me, I don't really want to be calling, but this is important." She said.  
"What's going on?" He asked, not really sure if he wanted to know.  
"Don't worry this isn't a personal matter, more a professional one. I got a visit from a movie producer yesterday, he wants to make your book into a movie." She explained and at first Luke didn't know what to say. Had he just heard her right?  
"A movie?" He asked.  
"Yes, he's read it and thinks it could be just the story he's looking for. All I need is your approval to give it the green light and we can come to Tree Hill to get the ball rolling." She explained and suddenly Lucas didn't know what to do?  
Lindsey coming back to Tree Hill, how would that effect Peyton? She knew about her, he'd made sure he'd told her everything, but knowing about her and seeing her were two very different things.  
"Lindsey, I...I mean it's great, but I...I don't know?" He said.  
"Look if you think this is going to be awkward me coming back, don't worry. Like I said, this is purely professional. I don't want to see you as much as you probably don't want to see me." She told him and he sighed, things with her were still as messed up as Peyton's car the night she'd crashed it.  
"When were you thinking of coming?" He asked.  
"Well if you give us the go ahead, me and the producer can be on the next flight out. We'll probably arrange a meeting for tomorrow." She replied and he let out a long sigh. "This is a really good opportunity Lucas, I wouldn't let it go if I was you." She added and after mulling it over in his head, he gave her an answer.  
"Ok, you've got your green light." He told her.  
"Alright, well I guess we'll be seeing you tomorrow. I'll be in touch." She replied and then hung up.  
Luke then put the phone down and sat there bewildered and not only from the news, but by the coldness of Lindsey. He knew she would still be bitter about everything, but she'd not even asked how Peyton was! The last time Lindsey had seen or heard anything was the night that Peyton had been rushed into hospital and they got told she was in a coma!  
Luke then got back to thinking about their date tonight and now he had an extra question going through his mind, how would Peyton react to Lindsey coming back?

It had been a couple of hours since The Cure gig and Luke and Peyton's hearing was finally coming back to them. They'd had a great time and even Lucas enjoyed it. He didn't know what he was so worried about earlier, everything had gone fine, Peyton seemed to love what he was wearing, he acted like he normally did around her and it wasn't strange at all, she was even understanding about Lindsey showing up tomorrow!   
They were now sat in a restaurant and both laughing at how awkward they thought tonight was going to be when in reality it was anything but.  
"I actually called Jamie Jimmy Jam today." She told Lucas while they waited for their food to arrive and he smiled.  
"Really?" He asked and she nodded.  
"Yeah and I remembered throwing those books at you before my accident." She informed him and he laughed.  
"I deserved it, but boy you've got a good aim!" He said and she laughed too.  
"Hey listen, I know I said I was fine about Lindsey coming tomorrow, but would you mind if I didn't meet her? I mean I know she's your editor and stuff and I guess our paths will have to cross at some point, but I'd rather it wasn't tomorrow?" She asked and he nodded and reached for her hand.  
"Of course. I wasn't expecting you to want to see her, to be honest I don't really want to either." He said as he stroked her hand. "I'm actually thinking of getting a new editor to be honest." He added and she looked at him confused.  
"Why?" She asked and he laughed.  
"Isn't it obvious? She's my ex. It complicates things, it makes stuff awkward. I mean we have to be civil to each other when we don't really want to be and if I write more books in the future, I'm going to have to see her a lot more." He explained and Peyton just nodded.  
"Yeah, when you put it like that..." She said and then a waiter came over with their food.

After leaving the restaurant later, they walked hand in hand back to Luke's place. "I've had a really nice night tonight." Peyton said and Luke smiled.  
"Yeah me too." He replied. "We'll have to do it again sometime." He joked.  
"I think it should be all the time." She laughed and Luke stopped walking and pulled her closer to him. He then leaned in and gave her a deep and meaningful kiss.  
Pulling away afterwards, Peyton then pulled him back in and gave him her own deep and meaningful kiss and winked with a smile afterwards.  
"Mmm I forgot how good you are at that." He said as they started walking again and Peyton laughed with Luke chuckling too, but the smiles soon got wiped from their faces as they got nearer to Luke's place.  
"Lindsey?" Lucas said as he saw her stood near his door with the movie producer she'd brought along. "I thought you were coming tomorrow?" He added and as the guy she was stood next to turned around to face him, ready to be introduced, Peyton got a surprise of her own.  
"Ju...Julian?" She questioned. 


	9. Chapter 9

"Ju...Julian?" Peyton questioned and Julian just gave her a sexy smirk.   
"Hi Peyton." He replied and Lucas looked from Julian to Peyton in confusion.   
"You two know each other?" He asked and Julian walked over to him.  
"You could say that." He said and then stuck his hand out to introduce himself properly. "Julian Baker, movie producer and ex boyfriend of this beautiful girl." He added before looking at Peyton.  
Lucas also looked at Peyton who just gave him an uneasy smile. "Erm...shall we all go inside?" She suggested and Luke thought about it for a few seconds before getting his keys out and unlocking the door.   
Peyton and Julian walked in first with Lindsey following behind. "It didn't take you two long did it?" Lindsey whispered to Luke as she walked past him and he rolled his eyes before slamming the door shut.

They all sat down in the living room, Peyton offering to get everyone a drink and Lucas followed her into the kitchen.  
"Ex boyfriend?" He asked not beating around the bush.  
"It was a while ago Luke." She said.  
"And you remember him?" He continued. "You remember him, but you couldn't remember me?" He added in slight hurt and frustration to which she looked at him confused.  
"Hey, I remembered you!" She told him and he shook his head.  
"You remembered the 18 year old me, you've only just started remembering bits of the older me." He informed her.  
"Yeah well maybe it's because my brain wanted to forget the older you, you've not exactly been perfect these last few years." She snapped and instantly regretted doing so when she saw the look of hurt and guilt appear on his face. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that." She soon told him and he shook his head before leaning against the worktop.  
"How long were you together?" He asked as she boiled the kettle.  
"How many sugars does Lindsey take?" She replied, ignoring his question.  
"Peyton?" He said and she just shrugged before getting the milk from the fridge.  
"I don't know, six months?" She answered, only to see his eyes go wide.  
"Six months?! Half a year?!" He replied and she let out a sigh before nipping into the living room.  
"Lindsey, how many sugars do you take?" She asked, unable to stop herself staring at the women sat on the couch with her perfect hair, perfect nails, perfect face, perfect body, perfect everything!  
"Just two please." She replied in her perfect voice.  
"Julian, still not into coffee?" She asked and he shook his head asking for water.  
Peyton then went back into the kitchen to see Luke still standing there as if he'd been knocked for six.  
"What is wrong with you?" She asked. "So I went out with a guy when we broke up, you got with 'Little Miss Perfect' in there, who by the way makes me feel totally insecure!" She told him and he just looked at her.  
"Do you remember her? Does she look familiar to you?" He questioned and Peyton just shook her head.  
"See this is what I don't get and this is what is so wrong with me! You remember a guy who you haven't seen for a couple of years and yet people who you should remember, you don't! You even remembered that the smirky bastard doesn't like coffee!" Lucas ranted.  
"You might want to keep your voice down you know. That smirky bastard wants to make your movie." She replied while pouring the water into the cups and doing a cold one for Julian. "Look, I'm not as happy about this as you are and I wish I could remember more things than I am doing, but Luke...I'm here ok, I'm alive and I'm with you. Can we please just forget about our history with our stupid ex's in the other room, be civil with them for your movie and get this over with as soon as possible?" She asked in a calm voice and Lucas let her words sink in and then nodded before kissing her forehead softly.  
"Yeah, I'm sorry babe and listen, you've got no reason to feel insecure around Lindsey ok...to me you're perfect, not her." He added and Peyton just smiled.

"So, how are you after your accident?" Lindsey asked Peyton once her and Lucas had come back into the room.  
"Lindsey, can we just discuss what you and Julian came here for please?" Lucas said. She'd had her chance to ask about Peyton on the phone earlier and she didn't take it, so Lucas wasn't going to let her take this one.  
"Accident?" Julian asked, looking at Peyton.   
'Great' Lucas thought to himself.  
"Erm yeah, I had a car crash about a month ago, but like Luke said, you're both here to talk about other things, so..."  
"Are you ok? I mean how badly were you hurt?" Julian asked and Peyton looked at Lucas not really knowing what to say, but then she realised it was none of their business anyway.  
"You know what, maybe I should just go home? I'm not really needed here, this movie thing is to do with the three of you..." She started, but Lindsey spoke up.  
"Yeah, but your accident was to do with most of us in this room." She said and then looked at Julian. "And she was hurt bad enough to be in a coma, but she seems fine and dandy now, she's even back with Lucas by the looks of things." She told him and suddenly Lucas stood up.  
"Ok that's enough!" He shouted. "You don't know the half of it Lindsey and to be honest, you've got no right to know it either. Besides all that, you told me you were coming tomorrow, so why are you here now? Some of us have to be up early in the morning!" He added and Peyton reached for his arm and ran her hand up and down it softly to calm him down a little.  
"We got an earlier flight." Lindsey told him and then looked at Peyton. "You were right before, maybe you should go? Like you said, you're not needed here, this is just a professional visit." She said, but Lucas was quick to jump in.  
"A professional visit in the early hours of the morning? Yeah because that's normal." He laughed. "You know what, I don't even know why I agreed to this? You show up unexpected with a jerk of a movie producer, then insult my girlfriend when she's been civil to you and then you throw out bitchy comment after bitchy comment. So much for being professional Lindsey. I thought you were better than that." He said.  
"Jerk of a movie producer?! That's rich coming from the jerk that ditched his girlfriend in a hotel room and left her crying for days!" Julian piped up.  
"Ok will you all just stop this!" Peyton suddenly yelled, causing them all to look at her.  
"Lindsey, you wanted to know how I was after my accident, well I'm fine. I've got memory loss, but I'm fine." She informed her and then looked at Julian. "Yes, I had an accident, a car crash, but it was my own fault, I regret it, it was stupid, I was stupid and now I'm paying the price for it in not remembering certain things, but you know one good thing about it? I don't remember Lindsey and I'm glad I don't!" She told him and then looked at Lucas. "I'm going to go home Luke, I'll call you tomorrow. Sorry for the outburst, but thanks for a great night." She said then grabbed her bag and headed for the door.  
"Peyton wait!" Lucas called once she got outside and she turned around. "Are you ok?" He asked and she nodded.  
"I'm fine, I just think you all need to talk about this movie without me there. I'm too much of a distraction." She told him and he gave her a smirk of his own, but a much sexier one than Julian ever could.  
"Yeah, especially with those legs." He said and she just shook her head and laughed before walking over to him and kissing him softly.  
"Good luck in there and as much as he'll be asking for it, don't hit Julian." She warned.  
"I think you mean Lindsey!" He replied with a laugh. "You going to be ok walking?" He asked and she nodded.  
"I'll be fine, I'll text you when I get there." She replied and he nodded before kissing her.  
"I love you." He told her and she smiled.  
"I love you too." She said and then winked before making her way back home.

Lucas closed the door and leaned his back against it closing his eyes for a second. Tonight had gone great, their date had been better than he'd expected and he got the impression that Peyton would have slept over once they'd returned, but now he had to deal with both of their exes being there instead! He sighed before making his way back into the living room and found Lindsey and Julian talking between themselves.  
"Ok you two wanted to talk movies, let's talk movies." He told them, refusing to discuss anything else and get this and them out of his house as soon as possible.

Peyton meanwhile had just let herself into her own house, it was just her living there again now. Her Dad had recently gone back to work and she couldn't blame him. There was nothing he could do, there was nothing anyone could really do when it came to her memory, although Larry had told her that he'd try and pop back more often than he had been doing before her accident.  
Going up to her room, she typed a message out to Luke, letting him know that she'd gotten home ok and then she got herself ready for bed.   
It was when she was lying there, that she thought about the last few hours and what Lucas had asked her when they first got back to his place. How had she remembered Julian? How had she remembered him not liking coffee? Was it really down to what she'd snapped out at Lucas about her brain not wanting to remember the older version of him, the non perfect version? Was that why she didn't remember Lindsey too, because she never liked her?  
She shook her head, that couldn't be it. She didn't remember the older versions of her friends at first and she'd had no clue who Jamie was in the beginning either, none of them had ever been bad to her and she loved them!  
Closing her eyes and hoping to drift off to sleep, all she could think about was Lindsey. She may have told her earlier that the only good thing to come out of her memory loss was not remembering her, but she actually really wanted to. Seeing her perfect face in her head, Peyton felt the insecurities take over again and that's when it suddenly hit her! Luke's book signing in L.A. He'd called telling her about it, she'd agreed to go and hoped that maybe they could reconcile, but as she walked in, she saw a woman kiss him, that woman now being the perfect looking face that was stuck in her head...Lindsey. 


	10. Chapter 10

It had been a month since Lindsey and Julian had turned up in Tree Hill and although they'd recently returned to New York, they'd left a little trouble behind. As much as Lucas wanted to get rid of them, they'd made it clear that it wasn't going to be a short visit and ended up spending more time with him than he'd bargained for. In doing so, Peyton hadn't been around so much and had distanced herself from them, at least that's what Lucas thought, but their exes had cleared off a few days ago and she was still avoiding him?  
Sitting in his office and looking at the time, Lucas rattled off a text to his best friend and after a few minutes, Haley walked inside.  
"You wanted to see me coach?" She asked with a smile and he let out a small one of his own as she sat down.  
"Have you heard from Peyton much lately?" He questioned, getting straight to the point and Haley just nodded.  
"Yeah, about the studio mainly. She won't stop raving about Mia and all the music and ideas she's coming out with. It's great to see her passion back." She replied. Peyton had decided to take control of Red Bedroom again in the last few weeks and seemed to be handling things really well. She'd also moved in with Brooke again after finding herself bored and lonely without her Dad in the house.  
Lucas just nodded to Haley's reply and then let out a sigh.  
"Why?" She asked, referring back to his question.  
"I think she's avoiding me? I'll text her and not get a reply for ages and then when I do, it's always that she's busy." He explained.  
"Well she has been you doofus! She's moved into Brooke's, taken control of her label...she's been getting her life back on track." Haley told him and he just shook his head.  
"There's more to it than that..." He said. "I just don't know what?" He added and Haley looked at him.  
"Luke, I'm sure you're just imagining it, but if you really think something's up then you should ask her about it." She told him. "Anyway, I should get going, lunch break ends soon." She said and then gave him a quick hug and peck on the cheek before making her way to the door.  
"What if she's remembered that night? What if she's remembered me 'proposing' to Lindsey?" He suddenly blurted out and Haley stopped and then turned to see him with a face full of worry.  
"Hey, don't panic ok. Even if she has and that's a very big if, she would have told you or she would have told one of us, she usually does when she remembers something." Haley told him.  
"Yeah maybe?" Lucas replied.  
"No maybe about it. Now stop worrying ok and just talk to her, but I'm sure if you do, you'll just realise that she really has been busy lately." She said and Luke just nodded.  
"Alright, thanks Hales." He replied and she gave him a smile before leaving his office.

Walking into Brooke's place after a long day at work Peyton smiled seeing her best friend hard at work herself.  
"Hey roomie, good day?" Brooke asked and Peyton nodded.  
"Long, but yeah good...brilliant in fact." She answered and then went to get herself a drink. "What you working on?" She asked and Brooke looked up from her drawings and smiled.  
"Just some new designs." She said and then Peyton walked over to the sofa. "So a brilliant day huh? What happened?" Brooke asked.  
"I remembered a few things." She said and Brooke eyed her. Peyton had been remembering a lot since she'd changed her lifestyle in recent weeks. Going back to the label full time had triggered a lot. After her first full day, Peyton had remembered just what it was she was doing in L.A or rather what she wasn't. Her job had sucked, her boss had sucked and her life out there had sucked. Seeing Mia and getting to know her had also had a big effect; she remembered her being in a band, a band that her and Haley had got her out of and a band whose lead singer was a jackass.  
"What did you remember?" Brooke asked as she placed her sketch pad and pencil down.  
"Graduation!" Peyton replied excitedly and Brooke was a little taken back. She'd been used to Peyton remembering more recent events, but this...this was new...this was from ages ago...did this mean something...was her brain getting stronger?  
"Graduation?" Brooke asked, not really knowing where to go with it, but thankfully Peyton filled her in, telling her what she remembered.  
"Mia and I had the radio on at work earlier, it was just in the background, we weren't really listening to it. Anyway, the Spice Girls suddenly came on and I smiled to myself remembering how me and you were so into them when we were kids and then when the chorus started, it just hit me like a bolt of lightning! Me, you, Haley, Rachel, Bevin, even Shelly...all us girls, we danced to them at that party after graduation and then we went to the Rivercourt and played against the boys and wrote our names on the ground and that's when I remembered graduation itself and all the drama; Haley's waters breaking and Jamie coming into the world, Luke's Mom having Lilly...it just all came back!" Peyton exclaimed with a big smile and teary eyes and Brooke also had tears in her eyes, it was such a long time ago, but it felt like yesterday with the way Peyton was describing it.  
"Wow..." Brooke said and then wiped away a tear that had escaped from her eye.  
"Sorry." Peyton told her and Brooke waved her hand, telling her not to apologise.  
"No, it's...it's really great that you remembered all that. I guess in these last few years I'd forgotten it myself a little bit." Brooke explained and Peyton just smiled.  
"Mia thought I'd gone crazy at first, I was sat there going mental over the Spice Girls, I even got up and danced at one point! It wasn't until I explained it all that she realised she didn't have to call the men in white coats!" Peyton laughed and Brooke laughed too.  
"They were good times, emotional, but the best." Brooke said and Peyton agreed.  
Hearing her phone ring, Peyton then looked to see Luke's name flash up and she sighed, not answering it straight away like she usually would and Brooke noticed.  
"You not going to answer that?" She asked and Peyton looked at her.  
"It's Lucas." She said and Brooke just gave her a sympathetic smile.  
"You're going to have to talk to him a some point P. Sawyer, you can't avoid him forever." She told her and Peyton just nodded before answering.  
"Hey." She said and then noticed Brooke take her sketchpad and pencil into her bedroom, giving her some space.  
"Hey stranger, you've been a bit M.I.A lately. You ok?" He asked and Peyton played with her hair, thinking of how to answer.  
"Yeah, sorry I've just been busy." She replied, which was the truth and what she'd been telling him the last few weeks, but it wasn't the whole truth.  
"Yeah I can imagine it's been pretty full on your end. I've missed you though." He said and she felt her lips turn upwards into a smile, as much as she was trying to distance herself from him, words like that were just pulling her towards him. "Are you doing anything right now?" He asked, he knew it was a long shot, but he just had to see her, he needed to talk to her and find out what was really going on.  
"I've not long come in from work, it's been a long day. I was just going to crash on the sofa, eat and then go to bed." She said.  
"Please Peyt, just give me half an hour...before I end up going stir crazy." He replied, not meaning to say the last part out loud.  
"What?" She asked and then heard him give a sigh.  
"I'm worried about you." He admitted and she felt her heart melt a little. She hadn't meant to worry him.  
"Ok, where are you?" She asked, although she hadn't known why. Whenever he was worried or had something on his mind, there was only one place he'd be.  
"Take a wild guess." He said with a laugh, feeling a little better for knowing that he was finally going to see her and she smiled at his words and the laugh that she loved so much.  
"I'll see you in a few." She told him and then hung up.  
"Brooke I'm going to the Rivercourt, I'll be back in about half an hour." She called and then left the house.

Missing yet another shot, Lucas shook his head and watched as the ball rolled away, it wasn't until he heard the click of heels behind him that he turned around and came face to face with the girl he'd missed so much the last few weeks and she looked more beautiful than ever!  
"Nice shot!" She couldn't help but say and he just smirked.  
"Nice legs" He replied and she let out a little laugh.  
"So do I have a whole basketball team to apologise to for making their coach suck these last few weeks?" She asked knowing that Luke's game was always off when he had something on his mind.  
"No, but you have Nathan and Skills to thank for stepping up." He joked and she just smiled.  
"Luke, I'm sorry." She said and he shook his head.  
"You don't have anything to be sorry for, I just want to know what's been going on? I mean before Lindsey and Julian came back, we were close again, but since they arrived and since they've left, you've gone quiet on me. I know you've been busy, but...well I don't know...it just feels different, like something's happened?" He explained and she sighed before going to sit on the bleachers.  
"It's not you ok...not totally." She said and he looked confused before sitting down next to her.  
"Talk to me, tell me what's been going on in that head of yours...even if you don't think I'm going to like it." He told her and she just looked at him and he nodded, letting her know that it was ok.  
"That night when Julian and Lindsey turned up and I went home?" She said and Lucas nodded, waiting for her to carry on. "Well I got to bed and kept picturing her face and I suddenly remembered seeing her before the accident. It was at that book signing of yours in L.A, she'd kissed you and I'd seen it and that was it really. It didn't bother me that much until a few days later when they were still here and it wasn't Julian so much, but her. I'd walk around and see her places and it caused flashbacks. I remembered coming home, being here with you on this Rivercourt, you telling me you had someone, that you were with someone. I remembered seeing you both at Jamie's soapbox derby walking along hand in hand, looking so happy. I remember what I felt back then, how in love you looked...how in love with her you were." She explained and Lucas just looked at her and saw the pain and hurt in her eyes.  
"Hey." He said softly and wrapped an arm round her, but she pulled away and it crushed him. "Peyton, don't...please don't do that." He told her, feeling his voice breaking a little.  
"Don't do that?!" She asked, raising her voice a little as she stood up. "You did that to me, you pushed me away!" She told him. "I had to walk around here for months when I got home and I had to see that, I had to see you two all loved up." She added.  
"I never loved her...not like I loved you!" He said and then got up himself and Peyton just sighed and looked away from him. "What about you?" He found himself asking and she looked around at him, confusion written across her face.  
"What about me?" She asked.  
"Julian. I've had to put up with him telling me all about your little love affair. How do you think I've felt?! He told me you guys were in love!" Lucas told her, raising his voice to the level hers had been at minutes before.  
"It wasn't...it wasn't like what I had with you." She yelled and Lucas sighed, calming himself down and then reached for her shoulders and looked into her eyes.  
"And what I had with Lindsey wasn't like what I had with you." He told her. "Peyton I know how it looked at the time ok and I'm sorry that you had to see it, but she meant nothing." He added and Peyton took a deep breath and calmed herself down a little before looking into his eyes.  
"Did anything happen between you both in the last few weeks?" She found herself asking and Lucas just pulled away from her, not believing his ears.  
"What?!" He asked in horror.  
"Did anything happen?" She asked again and Lucas just gave a sarcastic laugh.  
"So you don't trust me now?" He said and Peyton shrugged.  
"She's an attractive woman Luke...in fact she's freaking Miss World material!" She mouthed off.  
"Yeah? Well I prefer Peyton Sawyer material and no nothing did happen because I'm in love with you, always have been, always will be! Maybe if you hadn't of kept your distance around me because of what you remembered and how your insecurities were making you feel, you'd have seen for yourself that nothing happened!" He ranted and Peyton just shook her head and then went and sat back down on the bleachers.  
"I didn't want this, I didn't want us to argue and that's why I kept my distance, because I knew this would happen if I told you." She said calmly and Lucas sighed before sitting back down himself.  
"I remember a time when we never used to argue at all...back before I screwed everything up." He mumbled and Peyton looked at him.  
"I screwed up then too." She told him and he looked at her confused. "I should have said yes shouldn't I?" She informed him. "Then Lindsey would have just been your editor, Julian would probably have been a stranger and we'd be happily married by now." She added.  
"Things happen for a reason Peyt." Luke told her and she just laughed.  
"Well what's ours? We split up, get with the wrong people, fight, I crash a car, almost die and then have to put the pieces back together again...literally." She said.  
"Maybe it's a second chance?" He replied. "A chance for us to right all the wrongs, the mistakes we made that led up to you crashing your car." He told her and she just shrugged.  
"I don't know...but I do know that I'm sorry. You were right before, I shouldn't have distanced myself, I should have just told you what I'd remembered and talked to you about how I was feeling instead." She told him.  
"Well I'm sorry too. Sorry that Lindsey and Julian overstayed, sorry for getting angry with you just now...sorry for anything I've ever done to hurt you." He said and Peyton just smiled at him and then leaned in and kissed him softly.  
"We're as bad as each other and I'm sorry for getting angry with you too and sorry for Julian filling you in on our so called love affair." She said and he gave a slight laugh.  
"He's quite attractive isn't he...Mr Universe material." Luke joked and Peyton just hit him playfully.  
"Don't even go there, unless you want round two!" She warned with a smirk and Lucas got up off the bleachers and pulled her with him before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close to him.  
"So we're good again yeah?" He asked and she nodded.  
"I love you." She said with a smile.  
"I love you too." He replied and then kissed her like he hadn't kissed her in weeks...well that's how long it had been after all!


	11. Chapter 11

A few days had gone by and Peyton had an appointment at the hospital today. It wasn't anything serious, just a meeting with a woman called Jada who specialised in memory loss that she could talk to. She'd been to a few meetings since she'd been released from hospital and Jada had always noticed an improvement between visits. When Peyton had first gone, she'd talked about her confusion; nothing was the same, nothing was how she'd remembered, not even herself! She’d talked about how she couldn't get used to looking in the mirror and seeing an older version of herself, seeing darker loose curls instead of blonde tight ones and how she couldn't get used to seeing how all of her friends had matured either. She never once spoke about any memories, the only ones she could remember back then were from before the accident and they were useless, but then as the weeks passed and things started to come back to her, she'd tell Jada who'd make notes and she'd nearly filled a page the last time Peyton went! There was no guarantee that her memory would return fully and even if it did, there was no due date, but it was obvious to Peyton and all that knew her as well as Jada that she'd been improving.  
"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you today?" Brooke asked over breakfast that morning and Peyton just smiled and shook her head.  
Brooke had a free morning and mentioned it to Peyton last night in the hope that she'd let her come along to her meeting, but Peyton had refused.  
"Thanks, but honestly, I don't mind going on my own...I like going on my own. Besides, I don't even know if you'd be allowed?" Peyton replied and Brooke just scoffed.  
"I'm your best friend, of course I'd be allowed!" She said and Peyton just laughed before their house phone rang.  
Brooke got up to get it and at the same time Peyton's phone beeped.  
"Well aren't we popular today!" Brooke commented before answering and Peyton smiled before reading the text she'd received from Lucas.  
 _'Isn't it your meeting this morning? I can get Skills to cover for me if you want me to come along? xxx'_  
 _'Thanks, but I'm fine going on my own. I'll pop round tonight to tell you all about it though. xxx'_ She typed back as she heard Brooke talking on the phone.  
 _'Alright, just give me a call if you need a lift there & back though. I love you babe. xxx'_  
 _'Ok, I love you too, see you later :) xxx'_ She sent and then saw Brooke get off the phone.  
"Who was it?" She asked.  
"My Godson. He has a free day from school unlike his Mama and Daddy and he wants to spend a few hours with me, unlike my best friend." She explained before pulling a goofy face, but Peyton just pulled one right back at her. "So who wanted you?" Brooke then asked.  
"Luke, he had the same idea as you about this morning...oddly?" She replied and then looked at Brooke waiting for an explanation.  
"What?" She asked in confusion.  
"Nobody's ever been bothered about coming before...what have you two been planning?" She questioned.  
"Nothing and honestly I haven't seen or spoken to Lucas. It's just our great minds thinking alike. Yours seems to be improving and we probably thought you'd feel better about us being there more now than before?" She replied and Peyton just nodded and smiled. She had great people in her life.  
"I get it and thank you, I really do appreciate it, but like I said, I like going on my own you know?" Peyton told her and Brooke just smiled and nodded.  
"It's fine P. Sawyer and besides, I can't come anyway now. I have a date with a 4 year old." She said and Peyton just laughed.

It was lunchtime when Peyton came out from her meeting, it had gone really well again. Jada had been surprised by Peyton's latest memories, she'd told her how she'd remembered graduation in the last few weeks as well as things with Mia, Julian and Lindsey from the past too. Jada had told her that the graduation memory was a big improvement and that remembering things from that far back were showing that her memory was getting stronger.  
Wanting to clear her head a bit, she decided to go to somewhere she hadn't been in a while and ended up sitting at her Mom's headstone.  
"Hey...long time no see right?" She said and then gave a laugh. "Yeah, I know we haven't seen each other since I was eight, but you know what I mean." She continued. "I'm sorry I haven't been here since...well to me it was since I was 18, but I've had a car crash and I've got memory loss so it's probably not as long ago as that...at least I hope not? Some daughter I am if I've neglected you this long!" She rambled and then shook her head. "Anyway sorry...I erm...I just wanted to clear my head for a bit and this is where my feet took me. I'll bring some flowers next time." She noted out loud, seeing how bare her Mom's headstone looked. "It's crazy all this...I sort of wish you'd been here to help me. Don't get me wrong, Dad came home for a while and looked after me and Brooke and everyone else have been brilliant too, but you just need your Mom sometimes don't you?" She said and then let out a sigh. "I kinda miss having the adults around here now. I remember how I could talk to Karen about anything, she was like a second...or rather third Mom to me and crazy as she was, I miss seeing Deb around too. I also miss seeing Whitey everyday and I never thought I'd say this, but it's odd not seeing Dan walking around either." She added and then instinctively looked over at Keith's grave and was about to say how she missed the ones you can't get back like him as well as her Mom, but a shudder made her stop. She frowned to herself, but then shook it off and carried on talking to her Mom again. She told her all about Jamie, she knew or at least hoped she'd filled her in on all this before now, but she carried on speaking anyway. "Keith would have loved to have seen him and watch him grow up and I'm sure Jamie would have loved to have known his great uncle too, it's bad enough that he doesn't know Dan." She said and then felt her body go cold at the mention of his name? This time, it started to freak her out a little.  
"Listen Mom, I'll come back again soon yeah and with flowers like I promised. I miss you and I love you." She told the headstone and then kissed her finger and placed it on there before walking over to Keith's.  
She crouched down beside it and then looked over in the direction of Jimmy Edwards'; the boy she went to school with, the boy who'd shot her by accident, the boy that had shot himself, the boy that had shot Keith...or at least the boy she thought had shot Keith.  
Not that long ago to her, Lucas had told her 18 year old self that he didn't think Jimmy had killed Keith and although she believed him, nothing had been proved otherwise...but that was four years ago and she'd been told that Dan was now in prison, but not why he was in there. She'd never really asked anyone, when she first found out, it was at the time that everyone was telling her different things, things about her life and how it had changed, she was being told so much information and it was too much to take in, all she knew of this situation was that Dan was in prison and Jamie didn't know of his grandfather. As time had gone on though and she was getting used to everything, she still never asked and only because it was such a touchy subject. Lucas had never liked Dan and she knew he wouldn't want to speak about him, Nathan and Haley were obviously feeling the same seeing as they hadn't told Jamie about him and she'd had so much going on since her accident in remembering things that she'd not thought to question Brooke on it, but now as she weighed it all up in her head, the more it made sense. Luke was right back then when they were 18, Jimmy hadn't killed Keith...Dan had!

After spending another half an hour in the cemetery, Peyton decided to head to Clothes Over Bros. She knew Brooke had only had the morning off and would be there, but when she arrived, she wasn't expecting to see the littlest Scott there with her.  
"Aunt Peyton!" Jamie yelled in happiness as he saw her walk through the door and before she knew it, he'd ran from the other end of the store and launched into her arms giving her a bone crushing hug!  
"Hey buddy, what are you doing here?" She asked as she kissed his cheek.  
"Uncle Skills had to help Daddy and Uncle Luke in the gym and I wasn't allowed to go." He pouted.  
"Well who needs the boys when you've got us girls?" Peyton said and he smiled before she put him down.  
"Exactly, they're not good enough for you buddy." Brooke joked from the other side of the store and as Peyton went to walk over to her, the words she'd just said stopped her.  
"Hey, are you ok?" Brooke asked, noticing how her best friend had suddenly zoned out.  
"He's not good enough for you." She whispered, but Brooke heard her loud and clear.  
"Who isn't?" She asked and Peyton looked at her confused. "You just said he's not good enough for you...Peyton, are you ok?" Brooke asked while walking over to her and Peyton just nodded.  
"Yeah sorry. It's nothing..." She replied and then Brooke just gave her a skeptical look and decided to let it go for now and change the subject.  
"So how was your meeting?" She asked and Peyton smiled.  
"Yeah great, Jada's really impressed with that graduation memory I had. I actually think she wished she'd have been apart of it." Peyton told her and Brooke laughed.  
"Have you only now just left?" She then asked and Peyton just nodded, she wanted to tell Brooke how she'd gone to the cemetery afterwards, she wanted to tell her how she'd gotten chills when she thought about Dan, she wanted to ask her why he was in prison, but she couldn't...not in front of Jamie. "You must be starving! Go over the road, grab a bite and bring it back here, you can help me and Jamie decide our next plan of action for Victoria." Brooke told her.  
"Trouble in paradise again?" Peyton asked, knowing that Brooke's Mom had been driving her crazy the last few days and Brooke just nodded.

A few hours later and after the three of them had come up with a plan to put a gunge bucket over the door and slime Victoria when she next walked in, Brooke closed the shop, took Jamie home and Peyton made her way over to Luke's. She still wanted to talk to Brooke about the Dan issue, but she knew she'd told Luke earlier today that she'd pop round tonight to tell him about her meeting. The chat with Brooke would just have to wait until later.  
When Lucas opened the door to her, Peyton couldn't help but hug him tightly and he was a little surprised by her sudden embrace. This wasn't her normal greeting and it was lasting far too long to be a normal hug? "Hey...is everything ok?" He asked softly as he hugged her back.  
"I'm just...I'm sorry." She said and then pulled away, it was at this point that Lucas noticed the sadness in her eyes.  
Wrapping his arm around her and leading her inside, he walked her over to the couch and sat down with her. "What are you sorry for, what's wrong?" He asked with a look of concern on his face.  
Peyton sighed to herself, she didn't want to talk about this with him and hadn't planned to, but as soon as she'd seen him, her emotions got the better of her and she just wanted to comfort him. "I erm...I stopped by the cemetery at lunch, just went to see my Mom." She started and Lucas just pulled her closer to him, thinking that's what she was upset about.  
"You miss her right?" He asked and then kissed the top of her head. He knew this had been the first time she'd gone there since her accident and it must have affected her a little bit.  
"Yeah, but that's not...that's not what's got me feeling like this." She replied and then played with the buttons on his shirt and nuzzled into him a little more. "You remember when we were 18 and you said...you said you didn't think Jimmy had killed Keith?" She quietly asked, hating bringing this up and she felt Lucas suddenly tense up a little. "He didn't...did he?" She continued while stroking his chest. "It...it was Dan wasn't it? That's...that's why he's in prison." She said and Lucas turned to look at her suddenly realising what that sadness in her eyes was about. It wasn't sadness about her Mom, it was sadness for him, sadness for him losing his uncle, sadness for Karen, for Lily, for Jamie, for Nathan, their father had taken Keith from everybody!  
Closing his eyes, Lucas felt a little emotional and also a little bad. He should have told Peyton about why Dan had been in prison, they all should, it wasn't right of her to have to find out herself. "I'm sorry, I should have...we should have explained...it's just..." He started, but Peyton stopped him and shook her head.  
"No, don't you dare ok. I get it Luke and I know you don't like talking about him, you never have and I was going to ask Brooke tomorrow, but I just...I just wanted to comfort you when you opened the door." She told him and he let out a little smile.  
"He erm...Dan, he turned himself in...around about graduation time..." He started, but Peyton told him to stop.  
"Luke, you don't have to explain this. It's fine." She said, now knowing for sure that her suspicions were right earlier, Dan Scott had killed his own brother.  
"I still miss him you know...everyday. I think about what he'd say to me if he was still here, what he'd be doing...if I was making him proud." He told her and Peyton just nodded and then took hold of his hand and squeezed it softly.  
"You make him proud everyday." She said with a smile and tears in her eyes. "And if Jamie ever wants to know what his great Uncle Keith was like, I'm going to tell him to just look at you Lucas, because you are him, you've become him and you carry his spirit around with you always." She added and Lucas now had tears in his eyes too. Pulling him into a hug, Peyton just held him like that for a little while and they both got that healing feeling from the past.

Deciding to stay the night at Luke's, it wasn't until they were laying in his bed that night and chatting about how her meeting had gone, that Peyton brought up to him her memory from Brooke's store earlier that day.  
"You remember the other day when we were at the Rivercourt ranting about Julian and Lindsey and how neither of us were in love with them like we were with each other?" She asked and Luke nodded while holding her close to him. "Well I remembered something today and I can't believe I didn't realise it at the time, but you still had feelings for me when you were with her, in fact you them slip!" She teased and Luke just frowned at her.  
"When?" He asked in confusion, but then also slight panic...this wasn't going to be the kiss they'd shared at Tric the night of her car crash was it?  
"Brooke's opening night of the store." She replied and Lucas thought back....they'd gone together, she looked amazing, he'd seen her talking to the bartender, he'd told her...  
"He's not good enough for you...well he wasn't!" He said defensively, causing Peyton to laugh and then he laughed himself.  
As it got later into the night, Lucas had fallen asleep, but Peyton was still very much awake and she didn't know if it was because of what had been said earlier tonight and the emotions of it all or if it was just how she was feeling, but she wanted to be really close to him...closer than they had been in 4 years. Feeling a little brave, she reached up and lightly kissed his cheek then moved over to his lips before kissing over his jaw line and down his neck.  
"Mmm Peyton..." He murmured, half asleep...it wasn't until her lips as well as her hands started wondering over his topless body that his eyes sprung open and at first he thought he was dreaming! "Peyton?" He asked and she stopped before looking up at him with lust and love in her eyes and a sexy smirk on her face, the one he could never resist when they were teenagers and he was finding it hard to now...really hard...in more ways than one, but he knew this wasn't right...not totally. "Babe, you need to stop ok...I thought we'd agreed to take this slowly?" He asked.  
"I know, but I want this Luke, I want you." She replied and then to his surprise, she straddled him! "And I know you want me too." She whispered as she felt the effect she was already having on him.  
"Well I have always loved a dominant Peyton Sawyer." He flirted while instinctively running his hands up and down the sides of her underwear clad body. "But seriously babe, are you sure this is..." He started, but soon got cut off by her leaning down and kissing him passionately! That was all it took, there was no way he could argue or stop this now and she seemed fine with it, she wanted it as much if not more than he now did!  
As they carried on kissing, hands wondering and underwear disappearing, Peyton slowly pulled away, his teeth biting down on her bottom lip as she did so.  
"What? What's wrong?" He asked as he suddenly saw her mood change.  
"Honeygrove...we did this in Honeygrove! It was our first time!" She said excitedly and Lucas just laughed. Of all the things that could trigger that vintage memory in her head, it wasn't Mouth getting arrested or Chris Keller rocking up or them crashing a prom, it was sex with him!  
"Yes we did...I just hope Brooke doesn't recreate her part in it all and walk in later when we've finished." Luke joked.  
"Well it can always be arranged!" Peyton teased while grabbing her phone and Luke just laughed as he tossed it away, tilted her head back towards his and kissed her hungrily.   
It was fair to say they were going to be in for a sleepless night!


	12. Chapter 12

Waking up the following day, Peyton found herself laying naked in Lucas' bed, his strong arms wrapped securely around her and she smiled as she remembered the night before. It had been perfect, better than perfect in fact and she could still feel her body tingling from where he'd touched her. They'd finally given into sleep at around four am, both feeling blissfully exhausted and as she looked at the clock on his bedside table, it was now nearly lunchtime. Feeling hungry and not wanting to wake Lucas up, Peyton carefully slipped from his hold and retrieved her underwear from his bedroom floor. As she put it on, she quickly looked over at Luke and smiled to herself. He was sound asleep, looking so dishevelled, yet peaceful and he had a small smile gracing his lips. It was when her mind started to think about his broad shoulders, flexing muscles and toned bare chest that she knew she'd been staring too long and she quickly, but quietly made her way into the kitchen.  
She'd not been in there that long when she felt herself get hugged from behind and his lips were ravishing at her neck. "Mmm something smells good." He said once he'd finally torn his lips away from her skin. "And I don't mean the food." He added before turning her around to face him and kissing her lips.  
She laughed and then kissed him back. "I would say morning, but it's more like the afternoon." She told him and he just smiled, still keeping his arms wrapped around her waist.  
"How about a ‘hey baby’ instead then?" He asked, pulling her closer to him and kissing her again. Since last night, he couldn't keep his hands off her and given that it had been four years since they'd been this close, he was going to relish in it.  
"Hey baby." She said in a tone that had his boxers tightening and just as he was about to act on it, she turned her back to him and gave her attention to the food she was cooking.  
"Tease!" He joked before giving her ass a slap and then went and sat down at the table.  
"Joke like that and this will be a meal for one." She warned and he just held his hands up in mock surrender. "I hope I didn't wake you up before?" She then asked and he just smiled.  
"Oh I was already awake, I just closed my eyes when you thought I wasn't looking." He admitted and she shook her head laughing as she brought their food over and placed his in front of him.  
"Sneak!" She said as she sat down and he just smirked.  
"Says the girl who was eyeing me up after she put her underwear on." He replied and then laughed as her mouth gaped open.  
"Lucas!" She exclaimed and he chuckled as he saw her blush.  
"What? I already said that I was awake before you." He reminded her.  
"Anyway...what are your plans for the rest of the day?" She asked wanting to change the subject before her face turned the colour of her record label.  
"Well it's the weekend so I've got no work, but I do have my sexy girlfriend here in just her underwear with her chickeny legs on full view so I'm thinking we should just repeat last night." He informed her and then felt her kick him under the table!  
"Hey! Last night was amazing, what was that for?!" He asked confused.  
"For calling my legs chickeny!" She replied and he just laughed before pushing his plate to the side and then watched as she finished her food.  
"I could get used to this you know?" He suddenly said out loud and she looked at him puzzled.   
"What us eating together?" She asked and he just shook his head.  
"No us being under one roof. Waking up together every morning, teasing each other over meals, you cooking, me washing up, cuddling up on the couch every night...living together." He said and then wished he hadn't when he noticed her face change.  
"Lucas...I..." She started, but Lucas put his hand up to stop her and then took his plate over to the sink.  
"No don't. Look I shouldn't have said that, I was thinking out loud and getting carried away after last night...just forget I ever said anything." He answered and then felt her presence behind him and her hand stroke up and down his back.  
"I want that too, I do." She told him and he turned to face her. "I just can't leave Brooke right now. I've not been living there long and I wouldn't want her to be on her own. She seemed to miss me when I moved back to my old house after the accident and I don't want to abandon her again." She explained, hoping that Lucas would understand and she was thankful when he nodded and kissed her.

  
The pair of them soon ended back up in Luke's bedroom and spent most of the afternoon repeating what had happened last night. It was when they were getting their breaths back that Peyton's phone rang and she reached over to it expecting it to be Brooke, but when she saw Larry's name flash up, she got a surprise!  
"Daddy!" She squealed as she answered and Lucas just smiled to himself. Larry hadn't been in touch for a few weeks so he figured like Peyton that this would be a call about him coming home for a visit.  
"Oh wow really?!" Peyton said with excitement. "Yeah ok, I'll go down there later. Oh my God thank you so much Dad!" She added and then went on to tell him how she was and how she'd been getting on. It was at this point that Lucas reached up and started kissing her neck, causing Peyton to lose her train of thought. She smiled and then pushed him away playfully before ending the call with Larry. "Ok I'll see you soon, thanks again Dad, I love you." She said and then hung up.  
"Your Dad coming for a visit?" Lucas asked and Peyton shook her head.  
"No, but he's had my car fixed!" She replied in excitement.  
"What?" Luke asked.  
"He's had The Comet fixed! Can you believe it?! I mean I thought it had been a write off, but he left it with a mechanic here before he left and they've only now just called him to say it's ready to be collected!" She explained, the smile on her face growing bigger and bigger.  
"Wow, well I suppose I better go and get it then." Luke said with a smile and Peyton looked at him confused.  
"You?" She asked and he nodded.  
"Well yeah, we can't have you driving it." He told her and she just looked at him wide eyed.  
"Why not?" She asked.  
"Peyton, you haven't driven since your accident. I don't think you shou..."  
"Should what? Drive again incase I mistake a red light for a green one?!" She cut in and Lucas shook his head.  
"That's not what I was going to say." He sighed.  
"Well what were you going to say? I'm sure whatever it was I wouldn't have liked." She told him.  
"I was just going to say that I don't think you should rush it that's all." He said and she just scoffed.  
"Rush it? Funny how you don't say that about sex and yet you do about this!" She told him and then got out of bed.  
"Hey that's not fair. I asked you last night if you were sure and how we'd agreed to take things slowly." He said before getting out of bed too.  
"Yeah so slowly that you practically asked me to move in earlier and then wanted an afternoon in bed with me!" She replied sarcastically while putting her clothes on.  
"Hang on, you said you wanted to move in with me and if it wasn't for Brooke we'd have probably been bringing all your stuff over this afternoon instead of being in bed!" He told her, grabbing his own clothes and putting them back on.  
"Well you know what Luke, if it wasn't for Lindsey I'd have probably moved in here when I came home from L.A." She replied bitterly. She hadn't meant for that one to slip out, but she was annoyed.  
"Well if you'd have said yes to my proposal two years ago then there would have been no Lindsey." He fired back and instantly regretted it. Why did her name always have to come up when they argued?  
Peyton didn't say a word, she just grabbed her things, shoved them into her bag and walked out of his bedroom door.

As she walked to the garage she couldn't believe how one phone call had changed things between them. They'd been blissfully happy until Larry had rang. She got where Lucas was coming from, she hadn't driven for a good few months and obviously he was worried about her doing so, if she was being honest she was a little worried herself. She'd been so used to walking everywhere or being a passenger that the thought of driving seemed alien to her, but it had to be like riding a bike right?  
Sighing to herself she got her phone out and made a quick call. "Hi, it's me. Are you doing anything right now?" She asked. "Ok can you meet me at the garage just out of town?" She continued. "Alright see you in a little while." She replied and then hung up.  
It didn't take her long to get there and it didn't take the person she was meeting to either. "Sawyer." Nathan smiled and then greeted her with a hug,  
"Hey. Listen thanks for this," She replied and then pulled away.  
"No worries, you sounded kind of weird on the phone though, everything ok?" He asked and she shrugged.  
"My Dad called, said he'd had my car fixed up and it was ready to collect. I was with Luke and we got in a fight about it. He said he didn't think I should be rushing into driving and as I walked here, I figured he was probably right to worry. So I called you instead and wondered if you'd drive me back in it?" She explained.  
"Why didn't you call Luke?" He asked and she sighed.  
"Because I'm stubborn." She replied and he just smiled.  
They walked into the garage, Peyton explaining who she was and the mechanic handed her some paperwork and then her car keys. As she went to pay though, the guy told her that it had already been taken care of by her Dad. She thanked the guy for fixing her baby and then her and Nathan left.  
They'd not been in the car for long and Peyton already felt weird, she'd been used to travelling as a passenger in other peoples cars, but this didn't feel right?  
"You ok? You've been quiet since you got in?" Nathan asked as he glanced over at her and she just nodded before looking at the back seat and then at the wheel.  
"Can we pull over for a bit?" She asked and Nathan just nodded and carried on until they got to a quiet road, but Peyton laughed as she saw where he'd stopped.  
Typically the quiet road was the one near the lake where her car had broken down all those years ago and where Lucas had towed her back. "What?" Nathan asked seeing her laughing.  
"Nothing." She said and then let out a little sigh.  
"You sure you're ok?" He asked and she nodded.  
"Yeah I just...I guess I'm not used to being a passenger in my own car, Luke's driven it a few times, but it's always usually me behind the wheel." She explained and Nathan nodded.  
"Listen you can say no if you want, but this is a quiet road, why don't you have a little go? I won't tell Lucas I promise." He said and Peyton looked at him.  
"Haley James might have tamed you, but you're still a bit of a bad boy aren't you?" She joked and Nathan just laughed.  
"Says the rebel who was all for driving her car back on her own before calling me earlier." He replied and she just hit him playfully. "Come on, what do you say?" He asked and Peyton shrugged.  
"I don't know? I want to...I just...what if I drive us into the lake?" She questioned.  
"Well the last time I checked our names weren't Cooper or Rachel and we're not in a Limo, so we should be fine." Nathan joked.  
"Not funny!" She replied and then got out of the car and walked around to his side. "Well come on then jackass before I change my mind." She added and Nathan scooted over into the passenger seat.  
"Ok now you don't have to go fast, just take it easy and I'm right here if you need me to take over." He said as she started the engine.  
She nodded and thanked him and then did what came naturally and before she knew it, she was driving again! "Oh my God I can do it!" She said with a big smile on her face. She was only going slowly to begin with, but the longer she was behind the wheel, the better her confidence got and the faster she started going.  
"Like a duck to water Sawyer! Want to stay on this road and take me the scenic route home?" Nathan asked as they cruised along and Peyton nodded, happy to be back behind the wheel of her beloved car.

It was when they were nearly home that everything changed though. Stopping at a red light, she instantly got a flashback. She remembered being upset, really upset, she remembered roaring along the roads and then coming to a halt at the lights, she remembered sitting there when they'd turned green, she remembered racing through them when they'd gone red, she remembered seeing something shoot out in front of her, she remembered hearing screaming, she remembered smelling smoke, she remembered telling Lucas that she never wanted to see or speak to him ever again!  
"Peyton?" Nathan's voice repeated for the millionth time, but as he looked at her, she'd zoned out and she'd gone pale.  
Sitting in this car, she suddenly felt a cold sweat creep upon her and she felt dizzy. Her head was hurting and not in a good way. Gripping the steering wheel her fingers had gone white. She remembered! She remembered it all! Chasing Lucas around Tric with a cheque because they'd fought the night before, just like they'd fought earlier today. She remembered him walking into her office, she remembered telling him how she really felt, she remembered kissing him, him kissing her back. Him then telling her how he had to go and see Lindsey, that name thrown into the air just like it had been at his house earlier. She remembered talking to Brooke and Brooke telling her to go and get her man that Lindsey didn't stand a chance.  
"Peyton you're scaring me now!" Nathan said, but Peyton was still out of it, so much so that when the lights changed, he had to lean over and drive for her!  
As the car moved down the road, Peyton could see the memories all passing her by, just like the trees were. She remembered going around to Luke's that night, Lindsey opening the door, flashing an engagement ring in her face, that was what had caused her to get so upset. She remembered Luke running after her on her way home, trying to explain but she didn't let him, that was the moment she'd told him that she never wanted to see or speak to him again.  
She even remembered the hospital, hearing everyone’s voices as they came in to see her, Skills telling her about Cure tickets and Jamie talking about a picture he'd drawn for her...  
Suddenly coming back to reality, Peyton noticed that Nathan was the one driving them and as soon as she knew it was safe to, she took over and knew exactly where she needed to drive to.  
"Peyton what the hell was that?!" Nathan shouted once he saw she was back from her zoned out state.  
"I remembered, I remembered it all Nate! Everything! God I've been so stupid!" She exclaimed and Nathan just watched on as she took control of her car like she used to, not like the fearful girl she'd been only ten minutes ago?  
"What do you mean you remembered it all?" He asked.  
"My memory loss, it's gone! I remember everything! When I told you that I couldn't remember you being in a wheelchair but I remembered you having long hair? Well guess what, I remember you being in a wheelchair and me taking you to the hospital and you being a jerk! Ask me anything, I'll remember!" She told him.  
"I don't think I need to for how you're driving this car." He replied and as he looked at her face, he could actually physically see it! A twenty two year old Peyton Sawyer! “Ok if you remember everything, what did Brooke say to you when me and her were at your bedside the night you got rushed into hospital?“ Nathan questioned, just wanting to see if she really had got her memory back.   
“What when she said she didn’t know what to say to me or when she joked that she’d come home for Lucas to?“ Peyton questioned and Nathan felt a little taken back. She really did remember!   
When she pulled up into a car park though, he frowned. "What are we doing here?" He asked.  
"I just need to do something I should have done when I first got out of hospital." She said and then got out of the car and headed towards the building.  
Feeling confused, Nathan got out and followed her inside. "Hi, my name's Peyton Sawyer, I caused an accident a few months ago." He heard her say, but before he could step in himself, the man she’d told took it into his own hands.  
“You better come this way.“ He told her before leading her into a room and Nathan was soon ringing his brother.  
"Hello?" Luke answered.  
"You need to get to the police station now!" He told him.


	13. Chapter 13

Lucas hung up his phone and sighed, his main focus at the moment was fixing things with Peyton, not saving his brothers ass at the cop shop, but he knew he didn't have much choice, Nathan sounded desperate for him to get there so he grabbed his car keys and headed down to the station. He wasn't sure what it was his brother could have done to land himself in trouble, he'd stopped being a jerk and punching people years ago, but it was when Luke parked his Mustang up at the station that he got a surprise and also a slight shock. The car he'd parked up by wasn't just any car, it was the Comet, Peyton's Comet! It wasn't Nathan that was in trouble after all, it was Peyton!

Rushing out of his Mustang and into the police station, Lucas quickly found his brother who'd been sat down waiting. "What's happened, where is she?" He asked in panic and Nathan got to his feet and told him to calm down before explaining.  
"We were just driving down the road by the lake, we got to some lights and she froze." He started, but Luke interrupted him.  
"You were in the car with her?" He asked and Nathan nodded.  
"She called me, said you two had got into a fight and that she wanted me to drive her home." He told him, already knowing what his brother's next question was going to be and how he was going to have to break his promise to Peyton.  
"So you were driving and she just froze? Was it a flashback, you said you were at lights right, that's what triggered it?" He asked and Nathan sighed.  
"It was more than that...she remembered everything, even told me her memory loss had gone! She totally zoned out and when she finally did come out of it, it was like looking at a different person, it was like looking at her before she crashed her car!" He explained and Lucas felt the colour drain from his face.  
She remembered everything, her memory loss had gone. It was meant to be a good thing and it was a good thing, but if she remembered it all, then she remembered that night, him 'proposing' to Lindsey, telling him she never wanted to see or speak to him ever again!  
"Wait...wait. Why...why are we here then? I thought it was you that needed your ass saving when you called, where's Peyton?" He asked and Nathan closed his eyes and let out a sigh.  
"She drove here." He admitted and then opened his eyes to see his brothers widening. "I know ok, I know that you didn't want her driving, but we were on a quiet road and I didn't think it would hurt." He said.  
"Hurt?!" Lucas asked in frustration. "Hang on, you said she zoned out, was this when you were driving or she was driving?" He questioned, his voice sounding more and more angry by the second.  
"Well she looked a little out of it when I was driving, but it was when she was driving that she zoned out. We stopped at some lights and I just couldn't get through to her. When they changed, I had to lean over and drive for her." Nathan admitted and Lucas just looked at him and shook his head and then sat down and sighed.  
"I should have been there...I shouldn't have argued with her earlier." He said and Nathan sighed and then took a seat next to him.  
"In all honesty, for what she ended up remembering, it's probably good that you weren't there." Nathan told him and Luke just closed his eyes, thinking the worst.  
It had been a long time since Peyton's last words to him that night had been invading his mind, but now they'd come right back and he couldn't stop them.  
"So why'd she drive here?" Lucas asked in confusion. "And where is she now?" He added, looking around.  
"She turned herself in! She just walked in and said she'd caused an accident a few months ago and before I could jump in, some officer took her into that room." Nathan explained, nodding his head in the direction of where Peyton was.

While all of that was going on in the main reception area of the station, Peyton herself was talking to an officer, but she wasn't getting very far with him.  
"Why don't you believe me? I'm telling you, I was driving dangerously that night! There must be CCTV footage somewhere?!" She ranted, but the officer let out another sigh.  
"Miss Sawyer, I keep telling you. We do have on record that your car had been involved in a collision that night, but the owner of the other vehicle never pressed charges. I'm afraid without them doing so, there really is no case here." He told her.  
"But you told me they went to the hospital with injuries. Those were injuries that I caused!" She cried.  
"Whiplash, a broken arm and a touch of concussion." The officer read from his file and then looked up only to see Peyton nodding.  
"Right well there you go! It's more than a grazed knee isn't it?! I need to be punished! I could have killed them!" She told the officer.  
"I appreciate your honesty and full acceptance of the blame Miss Sawyer and I'm sure the owner of the other car would too if they were here, but like I said before, they haven't pressed charges." He explained and Peyton just got up from where she was sitting and pulled at her hair in frustration!  
"Well can't you press charges? Can't you press charges on me? A woman that's caused an accident like that shouldn't be allowed on the road, surely there's something you can arrest me with?" She ranted.  
"The only thing at the moment would be wasting police time Miss Sawyer and as we're aware, you've never had a road traffic accident before or been in much if little trouble with the law at all. There really is nothing we can do here." He told her and then got up himself, about to show her to the door.  
"Ok...Ok." She said finally admitting defeat. "But could you at least give me the details about the person I crashed into. An address or phone number? I need to see them and apologise." She explained and although it wasn't information he'd usually be allowed to give out, the officer could see how much this meant to her and wrote down some details for her to take home.

The boys saw the door of the room open and Lucas instantly saw the look of surprise on Peyton's face when she noticed that he was there. "I called him." Nathan told her and she just nodded.  
Lucas didn't really know what to do? They'd argued earlier which already made things awkward, but now she'd got her memory back and the last thing she told him was that she never wanted to see or speak to him ever again.  
Getting up, with those words still spinning around in his head just like they had been a few months ago, Lucas decided to make it easier for her. "I'll erm...I'll be going." He said with a nod of his head, indicating a goodbye to her and his brother.  
There was pure silence as he walked to the door and he hated it. For the last few months, he'd had her back, granted she wasn't totally herself and if he was honest, he now actually felt like he'd taken advantage of her, but she'd been his Peyton again. They'd had their rows, they'd had their make up's, everything that had happened in the last four years when they'd been together and when they'd not, had been brought out into the open and they'd talked about it all, they'd gotten closer in the last few days and now...well now it felt like it was back to how it was before.  
"I didn't mean it!" He suddenly heard just as he went to push the door open and he slowly looked around to see Peyton stood there with tears in her eyes. "I didn't mean it Lucas." She cried and then ran to him and just hugged him tighter than he'd ever known her to. "I'm so sorry." She sobbed and she was sobbing uncontrollably.  
"Alright, alright...shhh...it's ok." He told her, hugging her back as hard as she was hugging him.  
"No it's not!" He heard her say through tears. "I should never have said that you." She added, still shaking hard in his arms and Luke just held her tighter and looked over at Nathan who was just watching on in the distance.  
"Yes you should! You had every right to Peyt! I'd been such a bastard to you." He told her and then he felt her shake her head against him.  
"Nobody deserves words like that though, no matter what they've done." She replied.  
"You should have heard what Brooke told him when she found out what happened that night." Nathan said as he walked over, wanting to lighten the mood a little, but Lucas glared at him.  
"What?" Peyton questioned. "What did she say?" She asked, pulling herself away from Luke who then noticed the state she'd gotten herself into, yet she still looked nothing less than beautiful to him.  
"She told him not to go in and see you and then she told him to go home." Nathan answered and as she looked at Luke, she felt her heart break for him.  
"It wasn't your fault though. It was mine!" She said and Lucas just shrugged, still feeling partly responsible for what had happened that night.  
"So what's going on now, are they arresting you?" Nathan then asked and she turned to face him and shook her head.  
"As much as I wanted them to and tried to convince them to, they told me they couldn't. The other driver never pressed charges." She explained and Nathan nodded.  
"I know, I could have told you that in the car if you'd given me the chance." He replied and Peyton just rolled her eyes.  
"I did get their address though so I thought I'd go over tomorrow and offer them money for any repair work they had done on their car, maybe get them some flowers or something too?" She said and Luke and Nathan both nodded, thinking it sounded like a good idea.  
"Home now then?" Luke asked.  
"Yeah, but I'm going to go to Brooke's. I've got a lot to fill her in on." She replied and then looked at Nathan. "Thanks for earlier, coming to meet me at the garage and stuff. Tell Haley I'm sorry for taking her husband away for a few hours." She told him and he just laughed.  
"Don't worry about it, I'm sure she was glad of the peace." He replied as they made their way out to the car park.  
"Want a lift man?" Luke asked knowing that Peyton would be driving her car to Brooke's and Nathan nodded, thanking him.  
"I'll call you tomorrow ok?" Peyton told Luke and he just nodded before cupping her face in his hands and wiping her mascara stains away.  
"I love you." He told her before placing a kiss on her nose and then her lips.  
"I love you too." She replied with a smile and then walked over to her car and got in, giving both Scott brothers a wave as she drove off.  
Lucas and Nathan then got in the Mustang and Luke let out an emotional sigh. "You ok?" Nathan asked and Lucas just nodded, feeling his eyes glaze over a little.  
"I'm just glad she's back." He said and Nathan nodded with a smile.


	14. Chapter 14

Peyton woke up the following morning and smiled to herself. For the first time in a long time, she finally felt herself and not just because of her memory fully returning. She had Lucas back and although she'd had him back since her car crash, it just felt more real now. She felt happier than she'd ever remembered and also complete. This was how she was meant to feel when she first came home from L.A. She'd wanted to come home, be back with her friends and try again with the love of her life. It had taken a lot to get here, some obstacles she hadn't been prepared for, but she'd overcome them and she was finally where she wanted to be.  
Walking out of her room, she smiled as she saw Brooke making breakfast. "Morning." She said as she sat down at the breakfast bar.  
Brooke turned around and smiled. "Hey, good sleep?" She asked and Peyton shook her head and laughed.  
"You?" She questioned and Brooke shook her head and laughed too.  
The two of them had spent more time up and talking than being in bed asleep last night, but neither seemed to care. They'd spent most of the night chatting about Peyton's day yesterday, everything that happened with the car, her memory coming back and then the police station. There was laughter, tears and plenty of hugs. Brooke even opened a bottle of wine to celebrate her best friend's memory returning and the pair didn't end up going to sleep until the early hours of the morning.  
"Thanks." Peyton said as Brooke placed a plate down in front of her and then sat down and joined her. "I figured I should go the hospital as well as my victim's house today." Peyton told her. "Go tell them I won't be needing any more meetings." She added after taking a mouthful of food and Brooke just nodded and then chuckled.  
"Your victim's house, really? That's what you're calling it?" Brooke asked and Peyton laughed too.  
"Well it's what they are to me isn't it, a victim?" She replied and Brooke just shook her head and smiled.  
"So how much do you know about them? Did the cops give you a name?" She asked and Peyton shook her head.  
"No, just an address." She told her.  
"Well if it ends up being a hot guy, can you pass on my address?" Brooke asked and Peyton laughed.  
"How are things in the love department anyway?" She then asked Brooke, who in reality shouldn't have been smiling at her non existent love life, but found herself smiling at the fact that her and Peyton were having conversations like this. In the last few months all they'd spoken about were flashbacks and memories, but this...well this was like how it used to be...how it should be.  
"Honestly? Pretty much non existent. Since your accident, you've been my main priority, I've been too worried about you to go out searching for Mr Right." Brooke told her and then saw Peyton's smile drop.  
"Brooke, I can't believe...oh my God...I stopped you from having a life these last few months?" Peyton asked and Brooke shook her head.  
"No!" Brooke replied, not meaning to make Peyton feel guilty or take the blame. "I mean, I've been working and stuff, but when your best friend who's like a sister has something like that happen to them, you don't tend to focus on much else. You'd have been the same if it was the other way around and I mean come on, it's not like I've been missing out on much...all the hot guys in Tree Hill have been snapped up anyway." She added and Peyton still just frowned, feeling sorry for her best friend and partly to blame for her not getting herself out there.  
"Brooke, I'm sorry." She said and Brooke shook her off, telling her not to be.  
"Look if you really feel that bad and want to make it up to me, then do what I said before and give your 'victim' my address, but only if they're male and hot mind you." She teased and Peyton just laughed.  
In her mind though, she'd made it her duty to find her best friend a man, whether it ended up being her victim or not!

Later on that morning and once Peyton had left the house, Brooke got a knock at the door and saw Luke walk in. "Hey Broody, your other half's not here." She told him, thinking that's who he was looking for.  
"I know, she called me a little while ago. It's actually you I came to see." He replied and Brooke looked at him confused.  
"Ok?" She said and then offered him a seat next to her on the couch. "What's up?" She asked.  
"How would you feel about Peyton moving in with me?" He questioned and Brooke's face lit up.  
"Oh my God are you serious?!" She squealed and Luke just laughed and nodded. "I'd be over the moon!" She replied and then her delight turned to confusion. "Hang on, why are you asking me this...shouldn't you be asking Peyton?" She frowned.  
"I kind of already did." He said with a sigh and Brooke looked at him, waiting for him to explain. "It was yesterday before her Dad called about the car, we were eating breakfast and I was imagining her living there and the words came out of my mouth." He told her.  
"Well what did she say?" Brooke asked.  
"That she didn't want to abandon you and leave you on your own here." He answered and Brooke now understood why he'd come around to ask her how she'd feel about it.  
"That girl seriously needs to start putting herself first for a..." She started and then stopped before looking at him. "Lucas, I'd want nothing more! God I've been rooting for you two ever since me and Peyton came home and I can live on my own, I lived on my own in New York for long enough. I just want you two to be happy and be together." She told him and Luke just smiled at her.  
"Thanks Brooke, think you can convince your best friend of that?" He then joked and Brooke suddenly got a brainwave.  
"Maybe I won't have to..." She told him with a smirk and he just looked at her confused. "Are you up to much the rest of today?" She asked and he shook his head. "Good, me either and Peyton's out for most of it, so I say we just box all her things up here, take them over to yours and move her in!" She explained and as much as Lucas loved her idea, he did have a few doubts.  
"Alright, but if she ends up killing anyone it can be you. This was your idea." He told her and Brooke just laughed.  
"Fine, but I'm taking your ass down with me for agreeing and helping!" She replied.

Peyton had just left the hospital having told them about her memory coming back and after they'd had a chat with her and ran a few little tests, she was officially taken off their system and given a full clean bill of health.  
She then got into her car and stopped off in town to get some money, flowers and anything else she could think of as a gesture to give the driver of the other car that she'd collided into and then made her way to the address that she'd been given by the police.  
As she got there and parked up outside the person's house, she suddenly felt nervous. She'd been pretty confident about apologising to them until now, but she was starting to wonder if they'd be so forgiving? Fair enough they hadn't pressed charges, but what if that was their concussion? Anyone in their right mind would have pressed charges against her! What was she also going to say when they opened the door?  
Letting out a sigh, she knew she couldn't let her mind wander, the more she thought about it, the more she'd end up driving back home without apologising. This needed to be done.  
Grabbing everything she'd bought, she got out of the car, made her way to the front door of the person’s house and took a deep breath before knocking. She could feel her nerves building as she waited for someone to answer and when they did, she got a bit of a shock.  
In her mind and thanks to Brooke, she'd been expecting a hot guy or someone young at least, but this...this was a middle aged Mick Wolf!  
"Can I help you?" He asked and Peyton lost all train of thought. Surely this couldn't be right, this was the musician she'd idolised, not the driver of the car she'd crashed into?  
"Erm...ok this is going to sound really odd, but were you in a car accident a few months ago?" She asked, finally finding her voice and to her surprise and horror, he nodded. "Ok, wow...erm...look I'm really sorry, but the police gave me your address, I'm the girl that drove into you." She explained and he just nodded.  
"I know." He told her and she looked confused.  
"You do?" She asked and again he nodded. "Right, well I'm not quite sure how you do, but I'm really sorry. It was totally my fault, I knew exactly what I was doing that night and I shouldn't have done it." She explained. "I just...well I'm sorry I didn't come here sooner, I had some memory loss, but it's come back to me now and...sorry I'm rambling." She said and then Mick laughed. "Basically, the police wouldn't arrest me when I tried to turn myself in, they told me you hadn't pressed charges and the only thing I could think to do was come here, offer you an apology and any of these gifts." She told him, showing him the flowers and money and he just smiled at her.  
"There was a reason I didn't press charges Peyton." He said and she just pulled a confused face, he knew her name? Had she told him her name? She'd been talking that much that she couldn't even remember if she'd given him her name? "I think you better come in." He added and then stepped aside for her.

Lucas and Brooke were halfway through moving Peyton's things when he came across a really heavy box. "Brooke, do you know what this is?" He called through as he struggled carrying it into his house.  
It was when Brooke walked into the hallway that she laughed. "Oh that? Yeah that's either all her copies of B.Davis magazine that she bought in L.A or every copy of your book she ever picked up." She explained and Lucas just looked at it and thought back to the row he'd had with Peyton when she threw some of his books at him.  
"Wow, she really wasn't lying about that then?" He said out loud.  
"By the way, if you think that was heavy, you don't even want to get started on her music collection." She warned and Lucas just pulled a face. Why had he agreed to take part in this idea of Brooke's? Surely a moving van would have been better?!  
It was Brooke herself that got a little surprise of her own later on. She'd just put a box in Luke's bedroom when her eye caught sight of a different kind of box stood on his chest of drawers. It was quite out of sight, she guessed it had been placed like that so that Peyton wouldn't have seen it when she was over, but Brooke had always had a good eye for detail, she had to in her line of work.  
Walking into the living room where she found Lucas struggling with another box of things, she went over and helped him and also mentioned what she'd just seen.  
"That ring would look better on her finger than hidden away in a box you know." She said and Lucas just looked at her confused. "Oh come on, don't tell me you expect me to walk into your room and not see it sat there?" She added and he just sighed.  
"You don't think she's seen it herself do you?" He asked and Brooke shook her head.  
"No, but why wouldn't you want her to?" She asked.  
"Brooke, she lost her memory, I couldn't have had her see it when she was going through all that. We'd agreed to take things slowly." He explained and Brooke just looked at him and nodded.  
"What about now though? Don't you think it's time to move it, make it a bit more noticeable? Ask her even?" She suggested and Lucas looked at her like she was crazy!  
"She's only just got her memory back!" He replied. "Look, I'm already moving her in here without her knowing, I still don't know how she's going to react to that, I can't pounce marriage on her as well." He added.  
"You can't or you're scared to?" She asked and Lucas squinted at her. "Come on Broody, I've known you a long time, not as long as Haley, but I can still read you." She told him and he sighed.  
"Alright I'm scared and you know what? As much as I loved Keith, I'm starting to think that ring of his is cursed." He said and Brooke frowned. "He asked my Mom to marry him with that ring then he died, I asked Peyton to marry me with that ring and she said 'someday', Lindsey sees that ring and thinks it's for her, Peyton then sees that ring on Lindsey's finger and crashes her car." He explained and Brooke got his point.  
"Ok, so it might not have had the best of luck, but you're forgetting those words that Peyton told you when you first asked her. 'Someday'. She said 'someday' Lucas. Maybe today is that someday?" Brooke pressed and Lucas just shook his head and laughed.  
"I think us moving in together is enough for today Brooke." He told her, but she shook her head.  
"Lucas, you and Peyton should be where Naley are now. You should be married and with a baby on the way at least! You and Peyton...well you've been apart long enough when you should have been together, please don't wait any longer...don't put off what's meant to be." She told him and then got up to get the remainder of Peyton's boxes, leaving Lucas alone with his thoughts and fears.

"So hang on let me get this straight?" Peyton asked as she sat in Mick's living room. He'd already told her that this wasn't his permanent residence and that he'd be moving in the next few weeks. "You'd come to Tree Hill to record at my record label?" She asked and he nodded. "But before you got the chance, I crashed into you?" She added and again he just nodded.  
"Quite funny when you think about it and quite a coincidence to don't you think?" He asked and Peyton just nodded and frowned, she felt so confused by all this.  
"So why didn't you come to the label after or since the crash?" She questioned.  
"Hard to play a guitar with a broken arm." He answered and she just nodded while mentally cursing herself for being stupid enough not to know that.  
"Alright, well who was screaming when we crashed? I mean no offence, but guys don't usually scream." She pointed out and Mick laughed.  
"I think it was a passer by? I know she came over and helped us both, she was the one that rang for help." He explained and Peyton nodded.  
"So after you'd arrived at the hospital and they treated you, why did you tell the police that you didn't want to press charges?" She asked and Mick let out a sigh before scratching the back of his neck.  
"Because I found out who you were." He told her and she looked at him and just laughed a little.  
"Oh believe me, just because I own a record label, it doesn't make me special." She told him and he just smiled and shook his head.  
"No, but you were to your Mom." He replied and Peyton looked at him in slight shock.  
"You...you knew my Mom? You knew Anna?" She asked and he shook his head.  
"No, I knew Ellie." He admitted and Peyton felt herself get knocked for six.  
"You knew my birth Mother?" She asked in shock and Mick nodded.  
"That's why I couldn't press charges, I already wanted to record at your label and once I realised it was you that night, I knew for Ellie's sake that I couldn't have them charge you. She meant a lot to me." He said and Peyton was speechless! "You look just like her by the way." He added and Peyton just smiled.  
After finding out how he knew Ellie and asking him lots of other questions, she couldn't help but notice how much they had in common and as strange as it was, she noticed how similar they were. They were sitting the same, both of them took their coffee the same way...it was weird?  
"Look I hope you don't mind me asking this, but did you know my Father? My real Dad?" She asked and Mick tensed up a little before shaking his head and then decided to sit in a different position.  
"No, I don't think anyone really did. Sorry Peyton." He told her and she shook her head.  
"No, it's ok. I just...seeing the way you were sitting then and knowing what I've learnt since I showed up here, I don't know, I just wondered that's all. Maybe even thought you could be him." She joked, although she was half serious.  
Mick just smiled. "That would be something wouldn't it?" He said, not exactly giving a straight forward no, but then not giving a yes either.  
Peyton just nodded, noticing how he'd done that and then looked at the time. "Sorry, I've probably overstayed my welcome, I should get going." She said and Mick just smiled.  
"You haven't, but I do appreciate you coming over here and apologising." He told her and she just shrugged.  
"Least I could do." She said and then looked at the gifts she'd bought earlier. "Are you positive that you won't accept them or my money?" She asked and he nodded.  
"I've got plenty of money Peyton and I'm not really a flowers type of person, but thank you all the same." He replied and although Peyton nodded, she couldn't help but think that the flowers comment was another thing that they had in common.  
"Alright, well at least come down to my label and record something like you were going to before you leave town? It's welcome to you anytime." She offered and Mick just nodded.  
"I'm not here for much longer, but I'll try." He told her as they reached the door. "It was nice meeting you Peyton." He added and she smiled and nodded.  
"Yeah, you too and sorry again for that night." She told him and he brushed it off, telling her to forget about it.

As she drove back home to Brooke's she couldn't believe what had just happened. She'd definitely not been expecting that, although it made sense now why he'd not pressed charges, but what was he to her? Was he still one of her idol's who she'd now had the pleasure of meeting or was he her Father?  
Getting out of her car and walking into Brooke's, Peyton got another surprise. "Ok listen, I want to know if your victim was hot and if he’s now the proud owner of my address, but first of all, I have to let you know that you don't live here anymore." Brooke greeted and Peyton looked at her confused.  
"What?" She asked and then looked around to see some of her things that had been lying around, gone?  
"Yeah, I moved you in with Lucas. So anyway, this victim of yours? Hot or not?" Brooke asked and Peyton ignored her and then went to what was her room only to see it empty!  
"Brooke! Where's all my stuff?" She shrieked and Brooke walked in and rolled her eyes.  
"I already told you! I've moved you in with Lucas and before you say anything, I'm fine here on my own, especially if I get some hot car crash victim to replace you with." Brooke smirked and Peyton just laughed.  
"Sorry to disappoint you Brooke, but this guy was a middle aged rocker, old enough to be your Dad and who could quite possibly be my real one." She replied and Brooke looked confused. "Yeah I'll explain later...when I've found all my stuff." She told her.  
"For the millionth time P. Sawyer, Luke's!" Brooke yelled and literally pushed Peyton out of the door.

When Peyton walked inside Lucas' place she had to smile to herself. He was nowhere to be seen, but all her stuff was along with a few empty cardboard boxes that were laying around. He'd put all her things away and she noticed the photo frames were now filled with pictures of her and him together as well as his Mom, Lily, Andy, Jamie and all their friends. He'd even given her some room for her music and it was at that point that she could hear the soft sounds of The Cure playing.  
"Luke?" She called as she walked along the hallway and into the kitchen. It was in there that she found more pictures, this time stuck on the fridge and she smiled as she saw the one of them from High School just after the Raven's had won the State Championship.  
"Lucas?" She called again, wondering where he was and as she walked towards his room, she heard his voice mumbling something. Stepping inside, she saw him with his back to her, fiddling with something and when she heard what it was he'd been mumbling, she knew exactly what it was he was fiddling with and what it was she had to say.  
"Peyton, we've been through so much, I love you and I...no." He mumbled and then started again. "Peyton, I love you so much, will you...no." He sighed, still not liking it. "Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer, will you marry me?" He finished.  
"Yes." She then said and Lucas turned around in shock, he'd not heard her come in, nor had he heard her calling his name since she had.  
"W...what?" He asked and she just laughed.  
"You were asking me to marry you right? So I gave you my answer." She replied and Lucas just looked at her questionably.  
"You're...you're serious...you really mean it?" He asked.  
"If you did?" She answered.  
"Of course I did!" He replied and then got down on one knee and did it properly. "Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer, I love you so much, I want to spend the rest of my life with you and only you. Will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?" He asked and Peyton just nodded and felt her eyes glaze over with tears.  
"Yes. Yes I'd love to Lucas!" She replied and he smiled before slipping the ring onto her finger and then pulled her in and kissed her passionately.   
"Welcome home baby." He said when they pulled away and she smiled, feeling on cloud nine!


	15. Chapter 15

Six months had gone by and a lot had happened. Mick never turned up at Red Bedroom, but he had left a note for Peyton before he'd left town. He told her what a lovely girl she was and how she should forget about her real Dad and focus on the one that had brought her up. It was obvious that even if Mick was her real Father, he wanted nothing to do with her, but she didn't take it personally. He'd been nice enough to her when she'd gone round to his house, he never pressed charges when she'd crashed into him and he'd called her a lovely girl in his note. If he was her Dad, at least she could say that she'd met him and even if he wasn't, she could still say that she'd met one of her idols.  
Another guy who'd come back onto the scene in the last six months was Julian. He was working with Lucas on the movie and Luke had actually managed to get along with him this time around and he wasn't the only one. Brooke had also been getting to know him since he'd been in town and Peyton, who'd made it her duty to find Brooke a man, had managed to set them up together one night. It went really well and the pair of them had been on many dates since, Julian was even staying at Brooke's until he had to go back to L.A which meant Peyton didn't have to worry about her being home on her own.  
When Julian had first come back to town, Peyton was expecting Lindsey to come with him, just like before, but Lucas had got a new editor. He'd been thinking about getting a new one from the moment Lindsey had first called him about the movie and he knew it was for the best, especially since he'd got back into writing. Ever since Peyton had come back into his life, his house and his heart, he'd been inspired again and he was halfway through writing a novel about her, appropriately named The Comet.  
As if life hadn't been crazy enough, the last six months had also been taken up with wedding planning. When Lucas had first proposed to Peyton, he'd told her that as much as he wanted them to get married, it didn't have to be straight away. They'd only just literally moved in together after all, but Peyton told him how she wanted to be his wife, how she'd longed to be his wife and that they'd waited long enough as it was.

Today was the day that she was finally going to become Mrs Scott and as she stood in Brooke's boutique in front of a full length mirror, the smile on her face couldn't have been a bigger or brighter one.   
"It's so beautiful!" She gushed as she looked at herself in the dress that Brooke had designed and made herself.  
"No, you're the one that makes it look beautiful." Brooke said as she stood behind her and then Peyton just turned around and hugged her.  
"Thank you and...not just for the dress or the compliment, but for being you Brooke Davis. I couldn't have asked for a better best friend." Peyton told her and Brooke nodded as she hugged her back.   
"Right back at you P. Sawyer." She replied and both girls pulled away as they heard the door go and Haley walked in with Karen and Lily who'd returned with Andy for the wedding.  
"Wow, look at my soon to be daughter in law." Karen said and then held her arms out and gave Peyton a hug.  
"It's so good to see you." Peyton told her and felt her eyes filling up with tears, today was already feeling like an emotional day and they hadn't even arrived at the ceremony yet!  
After a lot of catching up and finalising of their hair and make up, the girls were almost ready to go, there was just one more person they needed to wait for and when he walked in, he looked at Peyton and felt his heart soar with pride and love.  
"Look at my little girl." Larry said as he embraced her in a hug and then kissed her cheek. "You look so beautiful angel." He told her and she smiled, trying not to let her eyes water too much, having only recently had her make up put on. "I wish your Mom was here to see this." He added and that was it, that was all it took for a few tears to start escaping her eyes. "Sorry." He said, before handing her a tissue and she shook her head and dabbed her eyes.   
"No, it's ok. I was thinking it myself when I woke up this morning." Peyton said with a small smile.  
"Actually..." Karen spoke up and then handed Peyton a box. "Both your Mom's can be with you today." She said and Peyton looked confused before opening the box and seeing a gold necklace with a small heart locket attached.  
Opening it up, she then gasped as there was a picture of Anna on one side and Ellie on the other. "Karen...I....thank you...thank you so much." She told her and Karen just smiled before putting it on for her.  
Larry then looked at his watch and then at his daughter. "Ready to get married sweetheart?" He asked and Peyton just nodded. She'd never been more ready.

Lucas was stood at the front of the Church, he'd been fine all morning, hadn't been the least bit nervous, but now as he stood waiting for his fiancée and love of his life to turn up, he couldn't help but feel worried. What if she didn't show, what if she thought this was all too fast, what if she'd suddenly got cold feet?   
"Hey, you ok?" He suddenly heard and then looked around to see his brother and best man looking at him.  
"Yeah...just nervous. She's...she's coming right?" He asked.  
"Well Haley's not called to say she's done a runner yet." Nathan joked, but Luke didn't find it funny. "Sorry man. Of course she's coming, she loves you." He told him and Luke just let out a deep breath and nodded.  
Much to his relief, the bridal music started up about five minutes later and Lucas looked around to see his little sister throwing flowers out of her basket as she walked up the aisle, followed by his best friend and Peyton's best friend who both looked amazing as bridesmaids and then finally with Larry on her arm, he saw Peyton. She looked more than beautiful and he was glad he'd taken his heart medication that morning or he'd be a dead man right now. It was like they were the only ones in the packed out Church, their eyes only on each other and as Larry finally left Peyton at the alter, the vicar got the proceedings under way.  
A few hours later and they were husband and wife, it couldn't have been a more romantic ceremony, the vows and the speeches afterwards hadn't left many of their guests with a dry eye, but they were all happy tears.  
"Have I told you how beyond beautiful you look today Mrs Scott?" Luke asked as they shared their first dance and Peyton just nodded with a smile.  
"Yeah, about the same amount of times I've told you that you look amazingly hot and gorgeous." She replied and Lucas laughed.  
They celebrated way into the night, Brooke even being the one to catch Peyton's bouquet when she threw it and not long after that, they left to go on their honeymoon.

It was on their honeymoon that they ended up conceiving. Lucas had whisked Peyton off to Paris and even though they'd done a fair amount of sightseeing, they'd also spent a fair amount of time in bed.   
It was a few months after they'd come back that Peyton got her symptoms. At first, she thought it was flu, she'd been feeling tired and then she got sick, but on her third morning of throwing up, Lucas got worried.  
"Baby, I think you should go to the doctors, this seems more than flu?" He told her as they sat on the bathroom floor and she nodded.  
"I think it's more than that too." She admitted and then looked at him with slight fear and panic in her eyes. "I think I might be pregnant?" She told him and Lucas sat there for a few seconds, taking in what she'd just said and then he let out a huge smile.   
"Really?" He asked and she shrugged.  
"I don't know, but it would add up? I'm nauseous all day, but only sick in the mornings, I'm tired and...I'm late." She finally realised. "Oh my God I'm late...I am...I'm pregnant Luke, we're having a baby!" She said, but Luke could hear the worry in her voice.  
"Hey, hey calm down." He said as he grabbed her hand in his and then stroked her pale face with his free one. "We don't know for sure, you could just be stressed and that's why you're late, but if it turns out that you are pregnant then it's ok babe." He told her and she let out a sigh.  
They'd never talked about kids, not really anyway. They'd mentioned how they wanted them in the future and they always enjoyed looking after Jamie together, the little boy himself had even told them how he'd love a cousin to play with one day, but that's what it had always been, one day, one day in the future, not right now!   
"Isn't it early?" Peyton asked. "We've only been married a few months and there's still so much going on in our lives with work and stuff...are we ready for this yet?" She asked, voicing her fears to Lucas who just looked into her eyes and nodded.  
"I think we've been ready since you moved in. I know everything that's happened since has been a bit of a whirlwind, but I still want everything with you Peyt." He replied and she let out a small smile.  
"And now we can have it right?" She asked. "If I'm pregnant that is." She added and Lucas just nodded with a smile before kissing her.  
That afternoon, they went to the doctors and found out that there was going to be a new little Scott in town and neither of them could have been any happier.

Six months later and they welcomed Sawyer Brooke Scott into the world. She was beautiful just like her Mother and she already had her Father's eyes. Everyone knew the squint would follow as she got older and Luke reckoned curly blonde hair would too. She was perfect and such a content little baby. She rarely cried and whenever she did, a quick cuddle with Lucas would soon calm her down. She was sure to be a Daddy's girl.  
As Peyton walked into the living room of their house, she found Lucas laying on the couch, bouncing Sawyer up and down on his chest and she smiled as she watched them from the doorway. Everything had fallen into place, everything she'd ever wanted was now right here in this room, her dreams, her husband, her daughter, her life.   
She couldn't believe that she'd nearly lost the last one on that fateful night when she'd literally seen red and she realised how lucky she was in not doing so. She'd gained so much since and wouldn't have been able to experience any of it if things had been different.  
Seeing Peyton walk in and come over to the couch, Lucas lifted Sawyer up high enough for Peyton to lean down and kiss her and then he blew Peyton a kiss of his own.   
They'd been through a lot in recent years and even in their High School years, but one thing had always remained and stuck, their love for each other and the words that were now framed on one of the walls in their living room echoed it. 'True Love Always.'


End file.
